First Date & Beyond
by Jan Lee
Summary: [NOVELLA.] Simply put, Haida and Retsuko's first date (and their 'official' status afterwards) impacts their lives in varying degrees. Chapter 10: Retsuko and Haida handle an embarrassing situation at work. Retsuko and Mrs. Doi talk about Haida. Haida-centric/Retsuko-centric. Haida/Retsuko. AU, post-S1.
1. Chapter 1

**Rating** : T, I guess.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own "Aggretsuko".

 **A/N:** Well, I love this show. I swear Retsuko is my spirit animal. Here is my homage to their cuteness. This'll be a two part-er.

* * *

 **~ First Date ~**

 **~ Chapter 1 ~**

* * *

 **"She said yes, Fenneko!"** Haida curled his fingers into the covers, so thrilled that he thought he might soar off into the atmosphere. Not too far though because he wanted to see that adorable yellow furry face, and those cute white ears, and gentle dark eyes…and that fluffy little tail. "She said yes!"

Fenneko sighed. "Okay, I hear you. You don't have to shout."

"This is…this is…incredible. Amazing. A dream come true." He sighed, relaxing back in bliss. His heart was a kite that flew on the wind with a myriad rainbow of streamers chasing after it. How could a simple "Sure, I'd love to" uplift him so much? Whatever he did, he could _not_ screw this up.

"So, do you have an idea for your first date?"

Haida glanced out the window into Tokyo, a city with constant, roaring noise, with grime and glass and people everywhere. Oh, so many people. They crowded the train, pushed together in restaurants and bars and theaters. There was no privacy at all. He wanted an openness, green, fragrant. "I want to take her on a picnic in the park."

 _Taptaptaptaptap_ \- -Fenneko had returned her attention to her phone. "Retsuko's not really an outdoorsy type."

"It's not like I'm taking her camping," he said, stung with Fenneko's implication. A picnic was a good idea, right? Romantic, relaxed, and he knew where he'd take her. Yeah, and even if she didn't love the picnic, wouldn't it be a good "couple" experience? They could joke about how the ants got in the dessert or how a grasshopper had hopped down his shirt or something.

"You're mooning again," Fenneko said, still texting like her life depended on it. "Nothing good comes from going out in nature. It'll be a disaster."

Haida bit the inside of his cheek, a dappled forest floor in front of his eyes. "Miss Negativity. Do you have to poo-poo everything?"

"I'm a realist. Expect the worst and you'll never be disappointed." Fenneko finished whatever message she'd been composing and glanced up at him. "Anyway, assuming you'll be discharged later, are you coming to work tomorrow or are you lazing around another day?"

"If the doctor clears it, I'll go in tomorrow. I can tell you're missing me," he replied.

Fenneko leveled an annoyed glare at him. "You'll miss your arms if you say that again. I'll see you tomorrow." And with that, she left.

Haida spent the rest of the early afternoon daydreaming about Retsuko. He and Retsuko could hop on a train and walk to the little clearing inside the cherry trees on the side of the river bank. He could make some spring egg rolls and some rice and dango, or he could pick up some bento boxes and drinks. He would ask her a million questions because he wanted to know everything about her- -but he realized how creepy that sounded, so he amended it to as many questions that weren't prying. If he could get her to laugh…that would be the pinnacle of the date.

Then the doctor whisked in with a businesslike air, interrupting the fantasy he'd built, and proceeded to outline Haida's discharge from the hospital. Within the hour, dressed, forms signed, he stood to the side of the wide entrance doors and pulled out his phone. Half a dozen missed voice messages and texts from his mom alone. Despite not feeling up to a barrage of conversation, he hit call.

She answered it before the second ring. "Haida, honey! Are you okay? What did the doctors say? Are you still in the hospital? Should your father and I come to see you? Do you need anything? Honey, are you there?"

Haida laughed and meandered down the paved walkway toward the train station. People streamed along the sidewalk, beside, in front of, and behind him. "Mom, I'm fine. I'm walking out of the hospital right now. Everything's good."

"Oh, that's wonderful, sweet-ums. Are you taking tomorrow off too?"

"Nah. The doctor cleared me to work. Besides, I'm not a construction worker or anything. I'll sit in my chair and take it easy. It's not too much strain to type on my keyboard."

"That's good to hear, honey. Oh, your father wants to speak to you. Let us know if you need anything. Love you!"

"Love you too, Mom. Thanks for the call." He waited a beat. "Dad, you there?"

"Hi, son." His father's gruff voice was soft with an undercurrent of concern. "It's good to hear your voice. You had your mother worried there for a bit."

"I wasn't dying!"

"We're your parents. We're going to worry. And your mom's been wondering when you'll find a nice girl, settle down, and have some grandbabies. You know, it was this time of year that I first laid eyes on your mother."

Well, that didn't take long at all, thought Haida as he framed a tactful response. "These sort of things take time. She's gotta be just right, Dad."

"Humpf. Don't dwaddle. This your prime time in life, son! Get your nose out of those books and get in the field!"

"I'm working on it, okay? I've asked a girl out. I should go…I'm getting on the train."

"We're glad you're feeling better, kiddo. Your mom and I love you. You should call more often!"

"I'll try. Love you too! Bye," he said.

The conversation had exhausted him, so he kept a low profile as he rode the train to his stop. Someone's elbow dug a hole in his lower back, and in his attempt to shift, the edge of a seat barked his shin. Geez! There was no space to breathe. He let people bump by him as he exited the car, thinking of Retsuko and what cute outfit she would choose to wear on their date. Those matching skirts and blouses were attractive. He wondered whether all her clothes matched and maybe what her definition of casual would be.

Before he realized it, he was facing the door of his apartment. Yep. Good ole 4C. The place had a gross staleness to it, and as he opened the window to let in fresh air, the quietude disturbed him. After the attention at the hospital- -between the doctor, the nurses, Fenneko, and Retsuko- -being alone felt…lonely. Without anything better to do, he opened the fridge. Leftovers, leftovers, leftovers, and he didn't feel like cooking anything new.

His phone rang, cutting through that silence. He brought it out his pocket and to his astonishment, Retsuko was calling. Wha…? "Retsuko?"

"Uh, hi, Haida. You at home yet?"

"Yes. I'm in the kitchen as we speak. Are _you_ okay?" To be honest, he didn't expect to speak to her so soon and hearing her voice put him off kilter.

"Oh," she offered a weak laugh, "I'm fine. I was actually wondering…you haven't been home in awhile, and you probably don't want to do grocery shopping, so…what kind of take-out would you like?"

"Take-out…?"

"Yes. My treat! Anywhere and anything you like. How bout it?"

"Retsuko, you don't have do that," he heard himself saying. Fenneko's voice came at him from the back of his mind: _No, you idiot, don't make her hang up. Be selfish and make her come over_. "I mean, really, I don't want to put you out or anything."

"It's no trouble, no trouble at all. Now tell me what you'd like, please."

He was powerless when she asserted herself, so he made the best concession he could. "Have you had dinner yet?"

"Um…no, not yet, Haida."

"That's perfect! You pick your favorite take-out place and order double of everything. Bring it on over and we can have dinner together here, if…if that's okay?"

Silence. Utter and complete silence, so much that he thought the call dropped. It probably wasn't a long pause, but it was long enough that Haida could count his heartbeats until she replied.

"You want me to…eat with you?"

"Yeah, c'mon. It'll be fun," Haida said. Was he pathetic for cajoling her? Yeah, but he was all-in at this point. "It'll be like…a trial first date. And my apartment is clean"- -relatively so, in his opinion- -"so what do you say?"

"I, uh…" There was the slightest little tremble that marked her hesitation.

"Retsuko, of course you can say no if you want to," _but I'll be devastated, which will cause my pneumonia to flare up_ , he wanted to add, _and I'll be back in the hospital for another week_. That or the heartbreak would kill him. "I mean it."

"No, no, I…actually, I think that sounds like fun. Okay. I'll be over in an hour."

"Keep me posted," he said. "See you soon."

The second he hung up, he tossed his fist in the air and whooped as loud as he could. Then, because no one was around, he did an embarrassing jig and butt-wiggle. "Retsuko's coming over! Retsuko's coming over! Yay, yay, yay! Let's go!" Of course, he had to sit and catch his breath a moment, having forgotten in the first place the reason Retsuko was visiting him.

Finally he got himself together and started a mad dash to tidy up the bachelor pad. Loose papers tucked into drawers, check. Trash tossed into the chute, check. Toilet paper on the roll and the lid down, check. Okay. What now? He was in the middle of shoving clean clothes into a bureau when a polite knock at his door interrupted him.

Retsuko was here. Holy crow, his palms had gone clammy. _Don't be a nerd, Haida._ He flung open the door. "Let me…uh…help with those?"

It was not Retsuko at the door. Instead, his neighbor, Mrs. Doi stood at his doorstep. She was a silver furred Shiba dog, face well worn with a prosperous and fruitful life. "Oh, I'm so glad to find you home, Haida. I haven't seen you for a few days. Has everything been okay?"

He blinked from his disappointment, but extended a hand to her elbow. "Please come inside, Mrs. Doi. Would you like some tea?" She seemed out of breath.

"No, thank you, Haida-dear. I can't stay long. I'm on my way to play mah-jong at the senior center. What about you? I was very worried! I stopped by a few times this week, but you weren't home."

"I was sick, and ended up staying at a friend's up to now." He was sorry for the white lie, but there was no point in worrying her.

"Tsk, tsk." Her hand went to his forehead with motherly concern. "I thought you looked flushed. Perhaps you're still running a fever?"

"No, no, nothing like that. I was…cleaning house for a guest."

"Oh, well. I won't keep you long. To come to the point…I was wondering, could I impose on you to take care of Fuiji for me this weekend?" Fuiji was Mrs. Doi's beloved goldfish. "I would like to visit an old friend who lives out of town. Would that be asking too much so soon after your illness?"

"This weekend," Haida repeated. Fuiji required at least three feedings per day. Maybe it would be okay. Their picnic would only be a few hours. "That should be fine. No problem."

"Thank you. You are a sweetheart." She clucked him under his chin and warmed him with a loving smile. She was his mom-away-from-mom. "I'll leave a little something for you on the countertop for your trouble."

"Oh, no, you don't have to. Really, it's no trouble."

Mrs. Doi laughed as she waved away his protest. "Get some rest, you poor thing. I'll be back Sunday evening, about dinner time."

Then from around the corner came Retsuko. Or rather, her ears poked from behind a large brown paper bag that she held in her arms- -and how was she walking without seeing anything? He stepped in to help her and when he lifted away the grease-spotted bag, his knees weakened with her grateful smile.

"Thanks, Haida. I wasn't sure I would make it without tripping," she said. Then to Mrs. Doi, who stood agape in the doorway, "Good evening, ma'am. I'm Retsuko. I work with Haida."

"Wonderful to meet you, Retsuko," Mrs. Doi replied. "I assume you are Haida's honored guest?"

"I guess…that would be me."

"Well, you two enjoy yourselves. This old lady should get on the road if she wants to get to the senior center on time. Good bye," Mrs. Doi said as she stepped around Haida. He caught a broad wink and a thumbs-up from her.

"Uh," Haida said. Boy, didn't he sound intellectual. _Don't be a moron. Invite her in_ , thought-Fenneko commanded. He gestured to his apartment. "Shall we?"

"Thanks. I'm sorry it took so long. There was a line," Retsuko said. Her tail swished side-to-side as she walked. "I hope you like plain ole Chinese food. It's what I usually eat for dinner when I'm feeling sick."

Haida set the food on his table and started pulling out glasses and dishware from his cabinets. He heard the paper bag crackle open. "That sounds great. To be honest, I'd been hankering for Chinese food at the hospital. Something that's not so healthy, you know?" Good, good. Keep the conversation light. "I have some water or beer to drink. Nothing fancy."

"I better have water. My yoga instructor gets after us if we don't hydrate properly."

"Water it is." That's right. Fenneko said she was doing yoga now. "How's the yoga coming along?"

"Good. I don't think I mentioned it, but Gori and Washimi go there too."

Haida set aside the full water glasses. "The head of marketing _and_ the president's secretary? That's some yoga class."

"We've actually become closer because of it. I was so sore at first, but they pushed me to keep coming back. Now it's much easier for me," she said. "You know, you should come try it sometime!"

"Try yoga," he said and grimaced at the wall before schooling his features. "I don't know if I'd be any good."

"No one's good their first class." Retsuko had arranged all the containers. His stomach rumbled- -he hadn't realized how long ago lunch had been. "The yoga instructor's a guy, and there are two other men in the class. You wouldn't be the only one."

"I'll think about it." And he would end up doing whatever would make her happy. He set down their glasses and handed Retsuko a pair of chopsticks. "Let's eat!"

"Let's!"

Their conversation was fluid and happy- -no dramatic or dark subjects for them- -and consumed a good three-quarters of the Chinese food she brought. He was enchanted with her yummy sounds as she ate a bite of everything around her plate, swirling the lo mein around a good chunk of sweet and sour chicken and munched. They had sat back in contentment when Haida deemed it a good time to introduce his initial thoughts on their first date.

"Say, Retsuko. I was wondering…about our official first date," he glanced from his plate to her face. She gazed at him with expectation. "I thought we could do a picnic in Shinjuku. Would that be…would that be okay with you?"

"A picnic would be lovely," she replied. "I don't have any plans this Saturday. I'm free the entire day."

"Saturday sounds great. How about lunch? And since you bought dinner tonight, I'll make our lunch arrangements," Haida said. Yes, yes, _yes!_ "I don't want to you to worry about anything, okay?"

"Thank you."

They made some final arrangements and Haida decided to walk Retsuko to the station. Not that he would be able to stop a mugger or anything, but he would worry about her being by herself. Even though she repeated how fine she would be, he insisted. It was the polite thing to do, he told her.

When her train arrived, he told her goodbye and waved as her train left. Then, for the second time that day, he whooped as loud as he could and did his victory dance. He had a date with Retsuko, finally!

* * *

 **A/N:** And so this concludes the first chapter. I'm only planning one more after this, so nothing long and drawn out. Until next time, dear readers.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** And we're back. I'll preface this chapter by admitting that I don't know exactly what kind of wild animal/plant life exists in _Aggretusko_. I only hope that this chapter is not too unrealistic as far as the elements of the setting are concerned.

* * *

 **~ Chapter 2 ~**

* * *

 **In the mirror as** he tied his tie, Haida practiced being casual. "Oh, hi, Retsuko. How's it going?" That sounded good, right? Not like he was a bunched bundle of nerves. He might be able to pull this off. Try telling that to his stomach, which was in knots over their plans for tomorrow, mainly because Fenneko's dire warning bothered him more than it should have. "Hey, Retsuko. Want something from the drink machine? Fridays, am I right?"

He winced at the last one. Eh, maybe not something so lame. He was sure that everything would be normal at the office. Mr. Ton would be grumpy; his lackey Komiya would simper; Fenneko would terrify all who beheld her; and Retsuko, in a serene bubble, would float in her own world. He wanted to be a part of that quiet, humble world, to interlock their fingers and to playfully whap her with his tail and be above all the work drama and personal life issues and those flaws he always seemed to find in himself.

Don't get carried away, he told himself. Focus on average. Focus on normal and not dorky!

Right. Not dorky. Totally doable. Then Fenneko's sarcasm, cutting in from left-field: _Yeah, right. You mangled your tie, dork!_ She was right- -it was too long in the front, the knot was crooked and wrong and twisted up.

"Crap," he said, undoing the whole shebang and starting from scratch. It was going to be a _long_ day.

When he got into the office, he was greeted with hearty pats and high-fives, and everyone welcomed him back with warm smiles. Then he settled in at his work station, keeping an eye peeled for yellow and white fur, paired with a white and blue uniform. To keep himself busy, he opened up his work email and regretted it the next instant. He had borderline a hundred unread emails waiting in his inbox. Most of them were general reminders about meeting dates and times, keeping work stations clean and neat, and procedural instructions for a new timekeeper program. _Delete, delete, delete. This doesn't even apply to me! Not for my department..._

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her. She walked beside Fenneko, smiling blithely, everything in perfect order. _Remember, not dorky!_ He could do this.

"Hi, Retsuko! Hi, Fenneko!" he said.

"Good morning," Retsuko said. "It's good to see you're back today."

"Thank you. Glad to be back."

"So did you guys enjoy your dinner date last night?" Fenneko asked as though he and Retsuko were on their third year of marriage. He winced at how loud her voice seemed in the hushed office. "Did you 'share the egg roll'?"

Retsuko and Haida both glanced at Fenneko after her remark. Was he...imagining the emphasis she placed on 'share the egg roll'? He scanned around- -no one had heard, at least. Retsuko's laugh sounded a bit on the stiff side.

"No, I didn't order egg rolls. But yes, we did enjoy dinner. Thank you for asking," she said. Then as she continued toward her work station, "Don't work too hard today, Haida. I'm looking forward to our date tomorrow. Are you?"

"Yes," he managed. A hot wave rushed up his neck to his cheeks and ears.

After that, the rest of him melted into a puddle of goo while his brain sort of took off in a daydream adventure that carried him through the work day. Not even Mr. Ton's grumbles and complaints about accounting errors or Fenneko's obnoxious elbow nudges when they were eating lunch together got under his skin. Finally, everyone said their goodbyes and headed home for the weekend.

On his way to his apartment, he passed Mrs. Doi in the hallway. "Why, Haida! You look as though you won the lottery!"

"I do?" His cheeks did ache. Had he been grinning the entire ride home?

"Yes! Your smile is a mile wide. You must be excited to see that nice young lady I met yesterday evening," she said. Her eyes were merry and twinkling. "Do I sense young love blossoming in the air?"

"Uh...heh, heh," he trailed off with a weak chuckle. "Maybe."

She gave a smile that said she had a secret theory about him and Retsuko, but she would keep it to herself for now. They said their goodnights, and Haida shouldered into his apartment to prepare for tomorrow. He had been working on the list of things to do since he'd stepped on the train.

* * *

The next morning, Haida shifted the heavy basket to a more comfortable position over his arm. "Okay, Retsuko, I'll see you in a few minutes."

"See you soon."

They hung up, and he tucked his cellphone in his pocket. On his mental to-do list, he double checked each item. He had been to Mrs. Doi's to feed Fuiji. He had the drinks and food in the basket, nestled up to an icepack. The blanket was rolled up and secured under the wicker handle. He'd also stored hand-wipes, napkins, and plateware, plus a couple ponchos in case they had a sudden downpour. This would be perfect. He had hardly slept a wink last night for excitement and this morning he was up at the crack of dawn finalizing his preparations.

Haida was nothing if not thorough. He had texted Retsuko last night- -at a reasonable hour, he might add- -for her to choose clothing that was casual and didn't commit the faux-pas of suggesting what she wear. He himself had found a forgotten and faded pair of jeans and had pulled a clean hoodie over a clean t-shirt. He wanted to look neat without looking like he had obsessed the entire night over his clothes.

Outside, the sky was wide and glorious with puffy white clouds meandering on the horizon. The sun shone clear and warm, glinting across the glass skyscrapers in a shimmer of blinding light. A gentle breeze rustled the tree leaves, the birds sang, greenery and freshness perfumed the air, and the world was beautiful. Haida made his way to the station, caught the next train to Sendagaya Station adjacent to Shinjuku Gyoen.

He found Retsuko standing beside a pillar, and he had to stop and admire the view- -she wore the cutest print blouse and matching button-down sweater and a jean skirt with the cutest little pink tennis shoes Haida had ever seen in his life. _I should have brought her flowers,_ he realized, belatedly. _I'm always forgetting something!_ He hiked up the basket higher on his arm, and taking a steadying breath, approached her.

"Hey, Retsuko!"

"Haida!" She beamed at him.

"I hope you weren't waiting long."

She shook her head. "No. Just a few minutes. That basket looks heavy. Can I carry something for you?"

"Oh, uh..." Come to think about it, his arm was sore. "Sure."

He handed her the blanket, which was most of the weight besides the basket itself and he felt the difference as soon as he handed it to her. "Thanks! That helps."

"No problem."

They were silent as they exited the station and walked the short distance to the admission booth, where Haida paid the 400 yen for their entrance. Once inside, they surveyed the rolling green and trailing pink branches to gain their bearings. There were people here, but not so many that it was too crowded. Haida inhaled the sweet scent into his nose; he felt confident and calm and everything was going to go according to plan.

"So, uh, where should we eat?" Retsuko asked. "It's so beautiful out, I could sit anywhere and be happy."

"Are you up for a walk?"

She gazed up at him. "Sure. You have somewhere in mind?"

"My parents used to bring me and my younger brother here all the time when we visited the city. We had a traditional spot, but it's a little bit of a walk. If you're hungry now, we can find somewhere else."

"No, you lead the way. I didn't know you had a younger brother," she said as they strolled along an undulating gravel path surrounded with colorful flowers and trimmed hedges. A quiet stream snaked a mirroring ribbon beside them.

"Yeah. His name's Hiro. He's three years younger than I am. He's at university right now," Haida said. "Boy, we never could get along growing up. We still don't talk much even though we're older now."

"Oh," Retsuko said. "I'm...sorry."

"Don't be. We're completely different people. That's all it is," he told her, and realizing that this topic was a bummer, he took evasive maneuvers. "What's your family like?"

"I'm a single child. Mom and Dad also live in Tokyo, so this is sorta my hometown, you know? I've got loads of cousins, though," she said.

"You have a big family then?"

He glanced over in enough time see her shrug. "Not huge, but more people than you'd think at first. You should see us when we get together for a dinner party. It gets pretty crazy."

"Sounds like fun." They had followed the bank of the river into a further part of the gardens. There were different varieties of flowers here, and though the flora was well-kept, Haida felt the landscape was a bit wilder here, a little less civilized. It was isolated, quiet, and he didn't see any other people around, which was what he wanted. "We're almost there. How're you holding up?"

"I'm fine. I'm glad I wore tennis shoes." She wiped her forehead with the back her hand. "It sure is quiet back here."

"Yeah. I thought it'd be nice to have some privacy," he replied. "Sometimes there are so many people crowded around me that I want to scream."

"I get that. You just want some space to breathe."

He looked at her; was it too much to believe that she had the same feeling as he? "Exactly."

More birds chirped and fluttered overhead, and bees buzzed around them in lazy circles. They even saw some dragonflies skimming over the water. Once off the path, they ducked under the trailing boughs of the blooming cherry trees. Had they stepped into a dream? The petals sprinkled down on the soft whisper of a breeze, unfurling a carpet of pink at their feet.

"Here we go," Haida said. "This is the spot."

Between the trees, they had a good view of the water, sky, clouds, and lush green vegetation that grew around craggy boulders. The Tokyo cityscape rose, peaked and jagged, in the background. Tall and rough hedges grew around them, providing a thick screen against other passers-by. On a patch of grass, Retsuko shook out the blanket. The edges billowed out and in one motion, she spread it flat on the ground. They both sat, and Haida, nerves fluttering, tried to think of something cool to say to her.

"Well, I'm starved," he blurted. "You ready to eat?"

"Yes. What did you pack?"

He opened the basket, handing her the contents. "I decided on bento boxes because they packed neatly. I've also got some dessert, and we have water and some bottles of juice for our drinks."

"This is perfect," she said, accepting one of the bento boxes from him. "You thought of everything!"

"I tried to. If I'm honest, I was kinda nervous about this picnic."

She twisted open a water bottle, and he was pleased that she did it without asking him. "Why were you nervous?"

"Fenneko said taking you outside would be a disaster," he replied with a shrug. "I'm happy to prove her wrong."

They started in on their bento boxes, their conversation ranging from movies to workplace drama to their high school lives. They both agreed that the reality of being an adult was nothing like what they'd believed in high school; it had been a shock to enter the workforce and to find misery and bills and stress. As they closed their bento boxes in anticipation for their dessert, a rustling shook the bushes near them.

"What was that?" Retsuko asked. They paused for a moment to watch and listen.

The rustling happened again, and this time there was a definite snort. Then wet, dilating nostrils poked from the branches, followed with the burly body of a wild boar. Its hide bristled with dung-brown hair, a black streak of mane ran along its spine, and its eyes glared at them with malevolent fury. They stared at each other; Haida's brain spun to the worst case scenario which was that they were going to die. Tusks had never looked so pointy.

"Oh…my…"

The boar snorted again, pawed the earth with its front hoof, and on instinct alone, Haida grabbed Retsuko and hauled tail to the nearest tree. Behind them came a soft _thump-a-thump-a-thump_ as the boar pursued them at full tilt. Haida half-tossed Retsuko to the lower branches of the cherry tree, and then leapt up himself. Everything went dark and smelled like soap and detergent.

"Haida!" Retsuko shrieked.

He found he had barreled his head right up her skirt. In an embarrassed panic, he flailed, and managed to duck his head from under the hem of her skirt while not falling out of the tree. She climbed a little further to the side, so Haida would have room to get arranged. A horrific squeal shredded his ear drums as the boar rammed its head into the tree trunk. The whole tree shuddered; blossom petals cascaded down. Both he and Retsuko screamed with their fright, clinging to nearby branches. Then the boar snorted a few more times, sniffing at the roots of the tree, before circling around and trotting towards their picnic blanket.

Rattled, heart racing, Haida reached over to touch Retsuko's arm, more as a comfort for himself than for her. "Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?"

"No, I'm okay. I can't believe there's a wild boar rampaging in the garden," she said. She kicked her legs a tiny bit, shaking the branch where they had perched. "Such bad luck!"

"I guess…we should call for help." Calmed some, he reached into his hoodie where he'd stored his phone, but found his pocket empty. Then he saw it on the grass a couple feet from the tree, too close to the wild boar. It must have slipped out during his terrified dash.

Since leaving the tree alone, the boar had overturned the picnic basket, tearing into their leftovers and the sweet buns Haida steamed the night before. "Aww, there goes our dessert. I made those special! That's too bad." He shook his head in disappointment.

"You…made sweet buns? My favorite?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't matter now. You wouldn't happen to have your cell, do you?"

Her silence surprised him. She had a far away look on her face- -her eyes had taken on a hardened expression. She had kept her purse looped over her shoulder the entire time- -a stroke of good luck, he thought- -and she reached inside it now.

"I'm sorry, Haida. I didn't want anything to ruin our date."

"You don't have to apologize," he said. "Boy, Fenneko is going to lose her mind when she hears about this." He could hear her hysterical laughter even without her present. She was going to _love_ this.

But it wasn't her cellphone Retsuko withdrew from her purse but a karaoke microphone. Why would she need a microphone? To his surprise, she dropped from the tree branch and landed squarely in front of the boar. He gasped, thinking she might have lost her balance, but she had her feet planted and her knees bent.

"Retsuko, no!"

"You stay there," she told him. Her voice had chilled several degrees. "I got this."

What in the world was she thinking? Haida made a plan to jump down and bodily haul Retsuko back up the tree, but a strange transformation had come over her. Her body was hunched, tail bushed out, and she swayed. He could not see her face. The boar snorted and swung its head in her direction. She sucked in a deep breath, her back and shoulders expanding under her cute sweater. Then what she did next froze him to the spot.

" _ON A FIRST DATE WITH A REALLY NICE GUY!_

" _I LIKE HIM A LOT, THAT'S NO LIE!_

" _IN COMES A BOAR TO RUIN OUR DAY!_

" _I WILL RIP APART YOUR FLESH…THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA SAY!_

" _GET…LOST…NOOOOOOW!"_

Haida's ears rang from the onslaught of decibels and his brain didn't quite register that words had been formed in the controlled bellowing. Retsuko…could sing death metal? She sang death metal! He had a vague recollection of the last company party where she and Mr. Ton had a back-and-forth session, but his memory was foggy about that entire evening. He thought it had been a hallucination. And now he knew.

The boar trembled, and with a pitiful squeal, bolted from the clearing back into the hedges where it had come. After some violent rustles, the bush stilled and all was silent again. Gingerly, Haida lowered himself to the ground and stepped next to Retsuko. She panted in the middle of the strewn picnic things. He found he had mad respect for her- -never in a million years would he have expected adorable, pretty Retsuko to rage so hard on a wild boar that it fled in terror.

"You okay?" he asked, resting a hand on her narrow shoulder.

She nodded as she tucked her microphone back into her purse. "What…do you think?" Her question was almost inaudible.

"I think…you're pretty awesome," he replied. He smiled at her when she jerked up her head. "Thanks for saving us."

"Haida." Her eyes had returned to that soft brown, misty and sparkling now. "Really? You don't mind that I sing death metal? You don't think it's weird?"

He knelt in front of her and took her small hands in his. "Let me put it this way. There's nothing you could ever do that I would find weird."

"Thanks," she said, and he heard genuine relief. "Well, maybe we should clean up this mess."

"Yeah."

Together, laughing and talking, they picked up what the boar had tossed about. His blanket had muddy hoof-prints on it, but with a good washing, it would be as good as new. The basket looked fine with a bit of grass stuck in the wicker, and most of the other things were salvageable. They walked back to the path to find a trash bin and tossed their ruined food away. Their load lighter, they strolled up to the park manager's office to report the wild boar and where it had been.

Then as they meandered their winding way toward the train station, Retsuko sighed. "I wish we could stay here forever. Even with our excitement earlier, it's so peaceful and beautiful here."

Haida measured her with a long glance. "Would you maybe want to go out to the country sometime? Stay the weekend?"

"I've never been to the countryside," she said. "I wouldn't know the first thing about it!"

"Why don't we do this…I'll try going to yoga with you, and we plan an outing together to the countryside. Seems like a fair trade," he said. _Anything to spend more time with you_.

"You don't have to try yoga," she replied, waving her hand. "Forget I ever said anything about it."

"Will you stop? I'd love to try yoga with you. Besides, you yourself said I wouldn't be the only guy there. Unless, of course, you actually don't want me there," he said. "But I'm telling you, I could use the exercise. All the beer and sitting around has impacted my middle."

"Okay then, it's a deal."

They took a selfie at the entrance to the park to mark their first official date and lingered at the train station. He didn't want to go, but he had to take care of Fuiji. He wanted to ask her up to the apartment to keep him company because he didn't want to be alone. He didn't want to be without her. Those ideas smacked of desperation, and he was determined not to rush their relationship.

"You good to get home?" he asked when her train stopped and opened, pouring out a crowd. They didn't seem to notice the hustle and bustle as people surrounded them, swallowed their private bubble.

"I'm fine. I had a great time today." She was a touch mussed from the breeze, but her ruffled fur served to endear her further to him. "We should come back another day."

"That would be great. First yoga," he replied. He steeled himself. "You better get on before the train leaves."

She didn't say anything at first. "Yeah."

"Goodbye, then. We'll go to dinner sometime this week, yeah?"

"That would be lovely. Goodbye," she said, and at last stepped onto the train. Then, just before the doors closed, she blew him a kiss.

"Goodbye," Haida whispered and put his hand over his heart where it might pound out of his chest if he didn't hold it in place. He was in love with her. It wasn't a crush, some nonsensical thing easily forgotten. No. This was one of a kind, absolute true love. Then to no one in particular, "I'm a dead man."

* * *

 **A/N:** Hope you enjoyed! Please let me know general thoughts and feelings; I love hearing from you all. As always, thanks to my usual readers and to lurkers alike. I'm toying with extending this story a bit into a more intense romance story, but we'll see. I have some other projects I'm working on completing, so I don't want to commit to anything complicated and overly long, and I definitely don't want to give any one false hope. Thanks again for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** So I can't help but want to play more in this sandbox. Here's an unexpected third chapter- -partially because the Haida/Retsuko pairing is adorable, but also because I think they lend themselves to hilarious small dramas (real and/or imagined) throughout the series. Please enjoy.

* * *

 **~ Chapter 3 ~**

* * *

 **Haida woke up** with the sun sliding in through his blinds. The second he blinked open his eyes, he turned on his phone, checking to make sure Saturday had, in fact, happened. There was the photo they took- -top of the Lifebook stream- -with the pale pink trees and bright green of Shinjuku in the background. Okay. It hadn't been a pleasant dream. It _had_ happened, and he and Retsuko were "official". Should he pinch himself?

He studied Retsuko's smiling face, contemplating the raw power hidden behind those twinkling eyes. Wow. She had shredded that wild boar yesterday without hesitation! What else did she keep secret that he could find out?

He said he would try yoga with Retsuko. When he had garnered the courage to ask her out, he had promised himself he would make changes- -he wanted to be the kind of guy that would make Retsuko happy. If that included yoga, then so be it.

Unready to get out of bed that moment, he searched 'yoga gear for men' on Boogle. Why was it that a simple mat looked so threatening? Curious, and, if he was honest with himself, stalling, he searched 'yoga history' for some factoids. He clicked one link and scanned the article- -then groaned when he realized he intended to stay true to his word, even when it meant checking his manhood at the door.

But as the saying went, all's fair in love and war.

As he compared two different types of yoga mats, he heard his front door unlock and open. A loud call echoed through the smallish apartment. "Yo! Bro! Are you in here?"

Haida grimaced. What did Hiro want? His younger brother could have had the decency to come at a normal hour, but nothing Hiro ever did was normal. A normal person would call ahead and check with the person they wanted to visit, but not Hiro. He showed up, expected others to march to his tune, and as abruptly, left them to clean up any messes he made. Haida flipped off the covers, shrugged into a nearby robe, and exited his bedroom to greet Hiro- -and if possible, shove him back out the door.

Haida came down the short hall the same time his brother stepped in front of it, and the hulking silhouette that blocked the light had Haida thinking he witnessed a solar eclipse.

While Haida took after his father in appearance, Hiro took after their mother. Hiro was a lean, tallish cheetah- -athletic, sleek, charming. He played rugby as his main sport for UTokyo and was widely renowned for his speed, cunning, and temper both on the field and off. His clothes screamed 'jock' with mesh shorts, a college-printed t-shirt, running shoes, and a ball cap. When it came down to it, Hiro and Haida were complete opposites. Their attitudes and preferences never overlapped, and Haida felt those differences separated them so fully that they'd need an entire contingent of engineers to bridge the gap. He did not know or ask if Hiro felt the same. It was because Mom had begged him- -for weeks on end- -that he gave Hiro a key to his apartment in the first place.

"Good morning, Hiro," Haida greeted. "What brings you here?"

Hiro flashed a quick smile, a peeling back of his lips to show white, sharp teeth, and no doubt angling to disarm Haida. "Can't I visit my one and only older brother? You did give me a key." With this, he dangled the key chain. It was like him not to have knocked or even believed that Haida was busy. "I thought I might check in on you and make sure you were okay after your stay at the hospital."

"Mom called you, didn't she," Haida said. His mother, the constant worrier, had somehow made it through fifty-odd years of life without a sign of an ulcer- -which is not to say that she hadn't tried to form one. "I already told her I was fine!"

"Pneumonia's pretty nasty, bro. Anyway, I thought we could do some bonding." Hiro punched Haida's shoulder. "You know, we don't hang out much."

"Thanks," replied Haida, rubbing the soreness in his shoulder. Even Hiro's playful punches hurt. "But this feels sudden. You've never wanted to hang out with me before."

"You've never been in the hospital before," Hiro returned. "C'mon. It'll be fun. Unless...you have other plans today?"

Something in that question seemed suspicious, but Hiro's demeanor was relaxed, nothing like his competitive side, so Haida didn't harp on it. Maybe Hiro wanted to ask him a favor. Well, Haida could suss out what he wanted after eating. "I don't, actually. Have you had breakfast? We can go downtown to a little place I know and eat. I have to run a quick errand first."

"Yeah, that sounds good. You buying?"

Haida wasn't surprised. "Sure. I'll go get changed."

He left Hiro lounging on the living room couch to pull on some clothes and brush his teeth. Then he told Hiro to wait another couple minutes so he could go next door to Mrs. Doi's to feed Fuiji. Mrs. Doi's apartment was packed tight with old family furniture, frilly lace, flowery accents, and a multitude of knick-knacks, the most prolific of which were her collection of teapots. Truth be told, each time he opened the door, Haida had the sensation of entering a museum. He sidestepped into the narrow lane left between a shelf of these fragile pieces and a low chabudai, taking care to hold his tail so he wouldn't brush something off by accident.

Of course, Fuiji's aquarium resided at the other end of the small living room, quietly gurgling and accented with blue lights. The tank took up at least a quarter of the wall space. The glass was spotless, and the underwater world she'd set up for Fuiji featured a castle, open log, a stone, and waving fans of coral in neon colors, all in an appealing arrangement. Fuiji was piebald- -mostly orange with white patches- -and peeked out from the castle's door as Haida approached.

"Hi there, Fuiji," he said. "It's time for breakfast!"

On a small wire rack next to the tank, Mrs. Doi housed Fuiji's tank cleaning supplies and a variety of food. She left a schedule- -more as a reminder to herself than as a note to Haida. Sundays were pellet days, not flake, so he selected the appropriate container. He shook out a teeny amount in the palm of his hand and dropped it to the tank. Fuiji swam up and fed, his fins shimmery and smooth under the lights.

"That's a good fish! I'll be back for lunchtime. Behave yourself," Haida said to humor himself, and left the apartment with as much care has he had entered it.

When Haida entered the door, Hiro pounced and shoved his phone in Haida's face. "Hey, who's this cutie you went out with yesterday?" It was the picture of them on Lifebook. "She looks so cuddly."

"That's Retsuko," Haida said. "Yesterday was our first official date. You ready? I'm half starved."

Hiro followed Haida out of the apartment and waited while he locked up. "Where'd you meet? How long have you known her?"

"Can we talk about something else?" Haida asked. He didn't want to reveal everything about Retsuko to Hiro for the simple fact that he wanted to keep her to himself for a little while. Also, Haida enjoyed his privacy. That being said, the more Hiro knew, the more his parents would also know- -and could his family stop prying into his life for once?

"C'mon, man," said Hiro, putting Haida in a gentle head-lock as they waited at the elevator doors. In vain, Haida struggled against the crook of Hiro's elbow. "You gotta give me something to work with."

Haida sighed when Hiro released him. "Fine. I've known her five years. She's a coworker." The door to the elevator opened and he and his brother stepped on, and Haida pressed the ground floor button.

"Dipping your pen in the company ink, eh? You rascal you. I can see why, though. That jean skirt really does it for me."

Not one to get annoyed, this comment riled Haida. "I assure you there has been no pen-dipping," he replied. "And I'd appreciate it if you kept your comments about my girlfriend's wardrobe to yourself." _Girlfriend?_ The word didn't seem like it should apply to him and Retsuko.

Hiro lifted his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. Touchy. Who else can you talk to about girls besides your brother?"

Literally anybody else, Haida thought. "Anyway, she's coming off a bad break-up, so we're taking it slow. That's all. Nothing else."

"So when can I meet her?" Hiro asked. The doors slid open with a perfunctory _ding_. Hiro stepped out ahead of him as Haida considered slamming his fist on the close button and going back up to his apartment to hide out from this conversation. The impulse passed; Haida followed his brother into the lobby. Hiro, oblivious, continued, "She looks super nice."

"She is," Haida said, "but you can't meet her yet."

"I can't...why not?"

"You'll scare her away."

Hiro laughed in a way that Haida hated. "Who? Little ole me? I'm as squishy as a pillow. Nothing's frightening about me." _Except that killer smile and the easy way you have with women everywhere._

They had by this time exited the apartment lobby. People parted for Hiro- -his stunning good looks and confident presence worked magic on everyone. Haida shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked at his brother's shoulder. Though no one bumped into or brushed against Hiro, Haida was not so lucky. Exasperated after the fourth person mumbled 'Sorry' at him, Haida gave in and slowed to step in behind Hiro. It was easier this way, staying hunched over and out of the way until they entered the train station.

"Where're we going?" Hiro asked, noticing at last that Haida was behind him.

Haida had lost his appetite, but generated a lukewarm smile. "This way."

There wasn't much quiet for speaking on the train (a small miracle, in Haida's opinion) until they exited further downtown. Haida pointed out the place- -it was on the inside of a larger storefront. You could go inside to sit at the counter or you could pick up and eat on the go. Haida preferred the counter because he liked watching the old orangutan at work, so he held open the glass door to let in Hiro.

"We're eating breakfast here?" Hiro asked in a way that suggested he thought that by eating food here, he'd contract every disease known to man. Haida noticed his brother's striped tail twitch with irritation. "This place looks like a shoebox. There's no way I'll get enough to eat here."

"Yeah, give it a chance," said Haida, stepping around Hiro. "The old guy makes the best omelettes. Just have a seat, will you?"

Haida sat and greeted Mr. Shin; Hiro sidled up and perched on the barstool with a skeptical expression on his face. They placed their order, Haida giving suggestions to Hiro which were ignored, of course. When Mr. Shin began putting their food together in graceful, efficient movements, Hiro twisted on his stool to face Haida.

"Definitely text Retsuko and let's take her out tonight," he said as if twenty minutes hadn't elapsed between their last discussion on this topic and now. "I promise I'll be on my best behavior."

Haida shook his head. "There's no way she'd go for it. Let it go."

"You are such a stick in the mud. You never have any fun. It's no wonder it took you five years to ask that cutie out."

"You couldn't possibly know I took five years to ask Retsuko on a date," Haida said. "Stop referring to her as 'cutie'."

"Well, she is. And I didn't know...I was guessing, but thanks for the confirmation, bro. What are you so afraid of, hunh? Do you like this girl?"

"Yes..." _Where was he going with this?_

"Then time's a-wastin'! Get on that phone and text her."

Haida frowned. "No. It's too soon for her to meet you. I don't want her to feel pressured into something."

"Pressured into what, exactly? And why don't you want her to meet me? Are you suggesting that I'd make a bad impression?"

"Hiro...you don't listen when I speak to you. I told you she's come off a bad break-up. If I call her _the next day_ after our first real date to meet my brother of all people, don't you think that'll freak her out some? I'd be freaked out," Haida replied, his patience fast running out. "The last thing I want is to put her in an awkward position."

"So then...we can go on a double date. Do you have any other single friends? That'll take the pressure off Retsuko meeting me and give her a friend if she gets bored with you. _If_ she even notices you with me there." He smiled a shit-eating grin that sickened Haida.

"I said no, so let it go!"

Hiro puffed out a breath. "Okay, geez. Sorry! No need to get defensive. It was just a suggestion, _nerd_."

"Real original. How old are you now? Twelve?"

"At least I had a girlfriend when I was twelve."

"Yeah, and a different one every month since then. I want something that's gonna last awhile longer than the flavor of bubblegum."

"That's...that's..." Hiro groped for a retort, but Haida cut him off.

"A completely accurate comparison. Let me do this _my_ way for once."

Each truly outraged, they stared at the other, nostrils flaring and hackles raised. Then they faced forward in a sullen silence. See, Haida thought, this is the reason I don't hang out with him. He's pushy and arrogant and doesn't get it! He doesn't understand anything in my life, and I'm tired of trying to explain things to him. We're too different to even get along with each other.

In his pocket, his phone chirruped with an incoming text message. Still upset, hair bristling, Haida glanced at his phone.

From Fenneko: _hey. wanna hang out tonite w me & rets?_

 _where?_ he texted back.

 _the usual._ She included some clapping hands and foaming beer pints as emoticons.

"Tell her your younger brother is tagging along, too," Hiro said in his ear. Haida jumped about a foot off the stool.

"Don't _do_ that!"

"Sorry-not-sorry." Hiro had a smug smirk that crawled all over his face. "But seriously, bro. I won't forgive you if you don't let me go with you tonight. Then I'll tell Mom that I wanted to bond with my big bro but he ditched me to hang out with his friends. What will that do to our poor mother?"

Haida scowled. "That's low, even for you. Keep Mom out of your nefarious plans." It had forever been Haida's responsibility as the eldest to include Hiro in his plans whenever Hiro wanted. Despite both of them being grown adults, their mother had a way of making even the most innocent of slights come across as a relationship catastrophe. Her ire and the subsequent guilt trip she'd dole out was not worth Haida calling Hiro's bluff.

"Well?"

Defeated, Haida returned Fenneko's text: _my younger brother's visiting...okay w you if he comes w?_

 _hope he likes beer. see you 6ish,_ Fenneko replied.

"There. You're invited." Haida said. Mr. Shin set their several plates of breakfast food in front of them and refreshed their coffee. Hiro must've ordered the whole damn menu. "I hope you're happy."

Hiro sighed, deeply satisfied. "I am."

Great. Now Haida would have to worry about Hiro nosing around in Retsuko's business. He wondered what Retsuko would think of Hiro. Would she run for the hills after meeting his younger brother? Would she get gooey over him like so many other girls? Haida didn't like having that thought in his head. Retsuko didn't seem the type to be swayed by good looks and irresistible charm- -he was the exact opposite of those and she said yes to him. Perhaps with Fenneko there, Hiro wouldn't take as much of an interest in Retsuko as he normally would.

 _Yeah, right_. Then an insidious thought occurred. He'd been suspicious of Hiro's motives for coming to visit him. Had Retsuko been Hiro's motivation for a 'surprise' visit? Haida turned his head to eye Hiro in his periphery. Hiro was manipulative, yes, and disruptive, but if he wanted to meet Retsuko…what was the underlying reason for it? What could Hiro possibly gain from meeting Retsuko? Was their mother at the bottom of this, sending Hiro on reconnaissance for more information from the girl her first-born was dating? Or was Haida being paranoid and needed to get a grip on reality?

"Haida…are you okay?" Hiro peered at Haida. "You zoned out for a minute."

"I'm fine." Then to redirect him, Haida continued, "How's your food?"

Hiro patted his stomach. "Great. Boy, you sure got it right coming here this morning."

 _Aren't I lucky I did something right for once._ "So now that you're staying the whole day, what did you have in mind to do?"

"Hey, I heard there's a jujutsu tournament going on." He checked his watch, and even after consuming a large quantity of food, he vibrated with pent-up energy. "If we hurry, we can make the opening ceremony."

"Is it a whole day event?" It was typical Hiro wanted action and sweat and maybe even blood- -nothing ever low-key suited him.

"I'm pretty sure."

"How about a movie, instead? We'll go see something manly," Haida offered. And in a movie theater he wouldn't have to deal with Hiro's probing questions. "I have Mrs. Doi's fish to feed and a ton of leftovers in the fridge for a lunch. Then we can chill until dinner with the girls, and you can beat me in NarioKart."

Hiro had narrowed his eyes at Haida. "So what you're saying is that you _don't_ want to see grown men beat each other up using ancient martial arts?"

"Uh…yes?"

"I agree on one condition. I get to pick the movie," Hiro replied, pointing a finger, "and you can't complain or have a snit about which one I choose."

"Consider me snit-free," agreed Haida. "Whatever gore fest you want, we'll watch."

After the movie, which featured blood spray about as much as it did the main actor, they returned to Haida's apartment so Fuiji could receive his afternoon feeding. Haida and Hiro shared the leftovers from Retsuko's Thursday evening visit, and then as Haida had expected, Hiro won the gold trophy in every single race when they played NarioKart. Haida was fine with it as Hiro was competitive to the nth degree and lacked the ability to concentrate on the videogame and hold up a conversation at the same time.

At 5:30, Haida saved the game. Hiro disappeared into the bathroom for fifteen minutes, so they were late catching a train. The station was packed, but with Hiro dividing the crowd, they made up some time to get to their favorite bar, Corners. The last text from Fenneko said they had already gone in and gotten a table. As the hostess took them to their private eating area, Haida felt his heart drop to his stomach. It felt like he was marching to his doom. More than anything, he wanted to tackle Hiro and somehow drag him from the restaurant and shove him on a train back to UTokyo.

Then the hostess slid the shoji open to reveal Fenneko and Retsuko seated at a table. Hiro was ahead of him, and with horror, he heard the beaming smile in Hiro's voice.

"Hi, ladies. I'm Haida's younger brother, Hiro. It's a pleasure to meet you."

* * *

 **A/N:** Not a lot of Retsuko/Haida goodness, but lots of build up for the next chapter. And to think, I haven't even moved past the weekend yet into the work week for these two! This story might be a little longer than I anticipated. Anyway, I appreciate all your support, dear readers and lurkers, and I hope to see you next time.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Here's some yummy Retsuko/Haida action to pay off for the last chapter.

* * *

 **~ Chapter 4 ~**

* * *

" **A pleasure to meet** you, too, Hiro," Retsuko said when the svelte cheetah entered the room. Behind him, Haida slunk in, his eyes averted. Nothing if not well-bred (except for pouring drinks, of course), she stood and held out her hand, which Hiro shook with a blinding smile. _Oh, my._ "I'm Retsuko. And this is Fenneko."

"The pleasure's all mine," Hiro said from low in his throat. Nerves skittered in her stomach. She did not like how his eyes were so watchful and seemed to reflect a kind of danger- - much different from Haida's adoration. Then he turned that acute attention to Fenneko. "Fenneko, enchante'."

 _Enchante'? Who says that?_ Keeping her face a cool neutral, Retsuko caught Haida's enormous eye roll. Her sentiments exactly. He, on the other hand, looked flustered and a little embarrassed, and Retsuko felt a compulsion to smooth down the ruffled fur sticking up around his collar.

From beside her, Fenneko glanced up from her cellphone, having ignored the exchange between Hiro and Retsuko. Retsuko saw her flick her eyes at Hiro in passing, and then in an obvious double-take, her gaze traveled from the tip of Hiro's ears to the tip of his slim tail. They stared at each other for a long moment. A slow blush crept up Fenneko's neck to her cheeks, and Retsuko came to her rescue; otherwise, the staring would continue on and on and Retsuko already felt awkward enough as it was, and apparently, Haida was not going to help.

"Say hello, Fenneko," she prompted her friend, which galvanized Fenneko into speaking.

Fenneko had a distant, far-off look in her eyes. "Hello, Fenneko."

As Hiro roared in laughter, Retsuko smiled at Haida as he settled into the seat across from her. "Hi, Haida. It's good to see you."

"Thanks. It's really good to see you too," he said, and his shoulders relaxed some. "I hope this is okay." He indicated his brother with a discreet nod.

"Oh, it's fine," she told him. It had been when he texted Fenneko earlier. Now she wasn't so sure.

"Have you ordered drinks yet?"

"No- -"

"That's perfect then," Hiro jumped in, having finished his laughing fit. "Let's order some of their house craft beer. First round's on Haida!"

"Hiro!"

"Don't be stingy, big bro," said Hiro, in a smooth backhand. "What do you ladies usually get for appetizers?"

By the time their waitress came in to take their order, they had ironed out their appetizers and what beer they wanted to share. When she left, Hiro tilted his handsome face at Retsuko and aimed another winning smile at her- -the long black stripes on either side of his mouth accented his very white teeth. While she did see that he was attractive, something in his manner towards her made her warning bells jangle, the same alarm system that had sounded when Mr. Ton found out about her Internet search history.

"So, Retsuko. How'd you meet my brother?"

"Actually, we three met at our company's orientation five years ago," she replied with a glance over at Haida. He looked stressed and uncomfortable. "We were hired at the same time."

"You must share a lot of stories then. What's Haida like at work?"

"Normal!" interjected Haida. "Nothing out of the ordinary!"

Before Retsuko could formulate a response to support Haida, Fenneko cut in. "As lame as he is outside of work."

"That's not nice," huffed Haida over Hiro's laughter. "I am not lame!"

"And a kiss-ass," Fenneko added. "You should see him puckering up to our bosses when there's real work to be done."

In the nick of time, the door slid open and a handful of servers entered with their appetizers, glasses, and bottles of the house's specialty beer. Conversation was curtailed as dishes were passed, beer poured, and chopsticks were distributed. Hiro poured everyone his or her drinks, being the youngest, and then ruffled Haida's ears. Retsuko wasn't quite sure if he did that to be annoying or if it was actual affection. Regardless, a flash of irritation crossed Haida's features. So far, she didn't like how he treated Haida.

"Haida was only ever good at math and avoiding work," Hiro said, renewing their previous topic of conversation. He leveled off another intense gaze at Retsuko. _What is this guy's problem?_ "To be honest, I'm amazed he's still at the same firm he was five years ago."

"Hey! I'm good at other stuff too," replied Haida. "And I didn't… _don't_ avoid work."

Hiro looked to Fenneko. "How much work does Haida do in your department? I mean, actually do?"

"That's an easy answer. It's Retsuko who does the most. She gets dumped on all the time," Fenneko said. Retsuko and Haida might as well not even be at the table, with how she kept her attention on Hiro alone. "Both Haida and I lay low. Say, Haida didn't tell you about a scare he had at work a couple weeks ago, did he?"

 _What? Is she…?_ Fenneko wouldn't bring up the poop story at a dinner, would she?

Haida's eyes went wide as dinner plates. "Fenneko…I don't think that's a story that would interest Hiro."

"Hiro disagrees," said Hiro. He nailed Fenneko with a charming smile. "Go on. Haida doesn't tell me anything about his work life."

"Maybe we should talk about something else," Retsuko said, catching Haida's drift, but both Hiro and Fenneko ignored her. "I mean…it was just a silly misunderstanding, after all."

Fenneko needed no encouragement. "Haida's work life practically revolves around Retsuko. One day, he hears some juicy gossip that after a hard labor, Retsuko had a successful delivery. That was it! He thought she had a baby!"

As Fenneko told the story, Retsuko's cheeks grew hotter and hotter. What should she do? She should say something to derail the conversation, but what would accomplish that? Hiro seemed fascinated and single-minded, and under those tawny eyes, Retsuko knew Fenneko would do anything to keep flirting with him. Haida, across from her, was in the throes of a blush as well. At least they were in it together.

"So, naturally, he flies off the handle, thinking that Retsuko's had some secret love affair he knew nothing about," Fenneko continued after bite of fried tofu. "He confronts her in the office, in front of everyone, to ask her if she's had a baby. But she hadn't!"

"If it wasn't a baby, what was it?" asked Hiro.

Haida stood up, slamming his hands on the table. Their plateware clanked together. "It's inappropriate for dinner time conversation!" His sudden growth of a spine encouraged Retsuko to use hers.

"Haida's right," Retsuko said. "Besides, we haven't learned anything about you! Haida tells me you go to university. Would that be UTokyo? What are you studying?"

She and Haida both looked to Hiro, anticipating his response. Fenneko's brow had lifted, but she kept quiet, also waiting for Hiro to answer or to ignore them. Hiro's smirk curled in the corner of his mouth, and as they waited for him to speak, he drained the dregs of beer from his glass. "Yes, I study Internal Medicine at UTokyo. I'm going to be a doctor."

"A doctor…?" Fenneko's moon-gaze was back on her face. "Whoa."

Across from her, Haida adjusted himself in his chair and some of the blush had faded. _Okay, great. Keep Hiro talking about himself._ She smiled. "Why medicine? What got you interested in that field?"

Hiro's smile twisted from a smirk into a nasty sneer. "My parents always wanted a doctor in the family. Haida wasn't up for the challenge, so to keep my parents from dying of shame, I said I'd do it instead."

You could have heard a pin drop.

Then Haida stood again, the chair scraping against the wooden floor. He didn't look at any of them. "That was low, even for you, Hiro." His hurt was raw in his voice and crystal clear in the shocked silence. "Excuse me. I'm going out for some fresh air. You three continue your dinner."

Then before Retsuko could think of what to say, Haida had closed the door behind him. She kept her composure, but inside…inside, an emotional beast reared up and roared in absolute fury. White hot and searing, the rage consumed her, and the entirety of that wrath was directed at Hiro. Badly, so badly, she wanted to reach into her purse for her microphone and melt his stupid arrogant face off with some righteous death metal.

"What the hell, Hiro?" Fenneko's attitude had also swung in the opposite direction, and with his spell over her broken, she glared daggers at him. "Why would you say something like that?"

 _No. I can't wait another second or I'll slip._ "Pardon me," Retsuko said, also standing, "I think I'll use the ladies' room."

She left Fenneko to berate Hiro as she hurried to the bathroom. The release would have to be quick; then she would see about Haida. It would not do him any good if she was inattentive to him. However, the closer she approached the bathroom door, the more she felt she should see Haida instead. She was angry, yes, and she didn't want to accidentally take it out on Haida, true, but right now, he should take priority. He needed her. The rage could wait a little longer.

Retsuko detoured to the front of the restaurant and exited. Outside was cool and dark, and the street lamps and neon lights drowned out any stars in the sky. Tokyo's nightlife was brisk, and groups or pairings of young people strolled the sidewalks, laughing and drunk. Her rage simmered underneath, powerful and immense, but she had it under control. _I hope_.

She found Haida huddled on a cement stoop that led to a dark doorway, his face hidden in his hands. His ears were flat and droopy. Without saying anything to him, she sat next to him and put a gentle hand on his back to rub circles between his shoulder blades. He didn't seem to be crying, and for some reason, that made her want to cry for him. The rage beast quieted even more.

He sighed, talking to her through his fingers. "I knew something like this was going to happen. Every time we're in the same room, Hiro has to come at me with fang and claw. And what I can't understand is why. Why does he say these things? It's not because he's my brother and that's what brothers do. It's something more than that." He gulped air. "I thought we had already established that I was, _am_ , the disappointment in the family. So why bring it up again? Why?"

"Haida, please look at me," she said, shifting her knees toward him. "I have something to say to you, and I want to see your face."

He shook his head. "I'm scared to."

"You have nothing to be scared of."

Bit by bit, Haida lowered his hands. Even in the rays slanted from the street lamps, she could discern the perfect circle-spots on his cheeks. She placed her hands on them, his fur thick and downy, and kept her eyes locked on his. In them, she saw his gentleness, his humor, and his quick mind; he was shy and awkward and had a big heart, and all these attributes, plus the ones she hadn't even discovered yet, softened her to him.

"You are not a disappointment to me," she said. "You should not be out here feeling ashamed of yourself. _Hiro's_ the one who should feel ashamed. He has no right to treat you this way."

"Really?"

"Yes. Whatever he's feeling, he should be an adult about it and not use it to hurt you in front of your friends," she said. "What he said was just plain wrong."

"Well, it is true that my parents wanted me to be a doctor."

She shook her head and gripped his shoulders. "But you're not. You decided for yourself what you wanted to do. And you're an incredible accountant. You're good with computers, you're funny, and you're a reliable friend. That's all that should matter."

"So…what should I do?"

"What _we're_ going to do is go in there and tell Hiro to shut his damn mouth," she said. The anger had backed off, but still smoldered. "Then we won't pay a lick of attention to anything he has to say."

"Do you think…do you think Fenneko will go for it?" he asked. His eyes shone with hope and relief. "She's pretty into him from what I can see."

"Last I heard, she was ripping your brother to shreds. I think she'll come through for us."

He offered a half-hearted smile. "Thanks, Retsuko. You coming out here…that means a lot to me."

She returned the smile. "Hey, what are girlfriends for?"

It was then she noticed how close together their faces were. Lips and noses and heavy-lidded eyes were aligned. Something electric zapped between them. She felt breathless, on the edge of something, and the world except for Haida fell away into the distance. She had not experienced this intense of a connection, not even with Resasuke, and he'd been her boyfriend for a few weeks. How was it possible for her to want to kiss Haida after a single day?

Haida's hand found its way to her neck, and his fingers stroked the sensitive area beneath her ear. Somehow, that tender touch shot her heart-rate through the roof. She struggled to get air into her lungs. They hovered closer, only a whisper separating them- -she hesitated, and she felt him hesitating, too. Were they moving too fast? But when she had a desperate ache inside her, something that quelled her anger, an emotion that flumed from the depths of her heart, when Haida's own emotions rolled off him like heat, what was 'fast'?

 _Stop thinking about it and just go for it. That other stuff doesn't matter!_

"Hey, I'm glad I found you two!"

Both Retsuko and Haida startled back, caught red-handed in their private moment. The comment burst apart their bubble, but then, her heart continued to hammer in her chest. It was Hiro. He had a contrite air about him, and as he approached their stoop, Retsuko thought he seemed a touch nervy in the way he rubbed the back of his neck.

"That Fenneko," he said as he stopped a foot or so away, "she's downright vicious when she wants to be. Boy, she gave me an earful."

"Not that it was undeserved," Retsuko said.

Hiro nodded. Then he cut a glance across to his brother. "Is it okay if I talk to Haida alone for a moment?"

"Sure," she said, but at the same time, Haida clamped a hand on her wrist.

"Retsuko, do you mind staying?" Haida asked her. He loosened his grip. "But you can leave if you want. I'd understand."

No. She was here. She understood that he was making a stand against his brother, and without outright saying it, he needed her to stay beside him for courage. "I don't mind."

"She stays for whatever you have to say," he told Hiro. When she looked over at him, because his words were firmer than she'd ever heard him utter, his face was set and there seemed to be an angry slant to his brow. "I think you have something you want to get off your chest about her anyway."

Hiro chuckled. "Well, you're right about that. As fair warning, you might not like what I want to say."

"I gather you aren't apologizing," Haida replied. "Typical. So spit it out."

"Are you sure?"

"Stop stalling and spit it out, I said."

"All right," Hiro replied, shoving his hands into the pockets of his athletic jacket. "No offense, Retsuko, but you're no good for Haida. He needs someone to get him out of his comfort zone, someone with guts, and to be brutally honest, you're too much of a push-over. You didn't even stand up for him when I blatantly shoved him around, and you're supposed to be his girlfriend!"

"You pulled all that crap on purpose?" Haida asked. "Unbelievable!"

"It proves my point," replied Hiro with a shrug.

"You don't get to decide who's good for me and who isn't! You don't know the first thing about Retsuko," said Haida in a hot explosion of anger. "You have no idea what she's capable of! No clue the kind of person she is!"

"Hey, listen- -"

Haida growled. "No, _you_ listen." He jammed a finger into his brother's chest. "I'm dating Retsuko, period, and I don't need your permission to do it. Whatever happens between us is _our_ business, so you can take your superior attitude with you back to UTokyo. C'mon, Retsuko," he said, tugging her with him, "let's get back to Fenneko. Goodbye, Hiro, I hope you have a pleasant ride back to campus."

And with that dismissal tossed over his shoulder, Haida pulled her with him back into the restaurant to their table. She was speechless. His take-charge attitude surprised her- -not that she didn't think he had it in him, but that he always deferred to other people. He was go-with-the-flow like she was. His determined side kind of…made him even more attractive to her, and with that realization, a flush warmed her face.

Fenneko had returned her attention to her phone, but greeted them when they came through the door. "Hey, nerds. Took you long enough." Then when no one else followed them, "Where's Hiro?"

"He said he had to get back to campus before curfew," replied Haida. "He apologized for being unable to stay for dinner."

"Hunh. That's too bad," Fenneko said. "I wanted to chew him out some more."

"Let's concentrate on enjoying the rest of the evening," Retsuko said. Instead of sitting next to Fenneko, she took Hiro's place next to Haida. "I'm ready for another round of beer. How about you guys?"

Fenneko and Haida both agreed, and when the server returned for their dinner orders, they were almost back to normal. In the middle of laughing at one of Haida's lame jokes, Retsuko put her hand on his knee. It was forward of her, almost too much of a risk that she didn't do it, but after their missed opportunity on the stoop, she decided it wouldn't hurt. He blushed, the pink adorable on his cheeks, and after giving her a sidelong glance, he put his own hand on hers.

Despite her burgeoning feelings for Haida, Hiro's words echoed in her mind, a poison working against her. She hated to admit that that jerk was right, but was she good for Haida? Would she pull him out of his comfort zone, or would they get bored of each other in a few months and break up?

* * *

 **A/N:** There we have it, my dear readers and lurkers. I hope you have enjoyed. I may segue into the work week in the coming chapters, and I have a feeling that Hiro may be making another appearance. See you again soon!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Okay, so we've finally moved out of the weekend and into the work week. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **~ Chapter 5 ~**

* * *

 **Monday. Again.** Retsuko woke up, tired as she always seemed to be, and went through the normal routine of readying herself for work. She zoned out on the train ride, as usual, and tried to ignore the heat of the bodies pressed against her. Someone had gone overboard on the cologne. Someone else needed a TicTac, or a whole box of them. At last, she approached the steps leading up to the glass doors of her office building and reminded herself that she and Haida were 'official'. He was her boyfriend.

The idea thrilled her more than she expected. Still, Hiro's attack on her left a sour taste in her mouth. Compared to other people, she was boring. She was a part of the routine, a cog in the corporate gears. But, she thought, she _had_ started yoga, which she'd never done before. She'd met Washimi and Gori, two women who befriended and inspired her. She stood up to Mr. Ton at the office drinking party. She had fallen in love and broken up with Resasuke. Those were big changes in her life, even though they did not occur at a breakneck pace, it was enough that she felt she was a different person than she was at the beginning of the year. She would be good for Haida; he would be good for her.

She opened the glass doors and began her walk to the elevators. She got no more than three steps when Tsunoda bounded from behind one of the columns. _Was she waiting for me?_ Tsunoda's huge eyes were dewy and her elfish features were the picture of innocence. A terrible premonition rumbled in Retsuko's gut.

"Oh, Retsuko! I'm so excited for you and Haida! You make the cutest couple. You know he'd been crushing on you for _so_ long, and it's nice to see he finally got around to asking you out. Your picture at Shinjuku looked adorable. You know, I think you're perfect together."

She paused for breath; the elevator doors opened, even then she pranced around Retsuko. "So I was wondering. You remember Manumaru from Sales, right? Well, he and I are dating now, unofficially, of course, and he invited me to this charity event coming up. It's supposed to be a couples-thing, but the other couple we were supposed to go with cancelled. Can you believe that? Anyway, Manumaru wondered if I knew of any other couples in the office that we could invite. It's all paid for and everything, and he was so disappointed when the other pair dropped out."

At this time, the elevator released them on their floor. Tsunoda pranced along beside Retsuko as they headed to the Women's Changing Room. "I didn't know of any other couples until this weekend when you posted that cute selfie of you and Haida! How exciting! I can't wait to tell Manumaru that we have another couple attending the charity dinner with us. He'll be so relieved we don't have to go by ourselves. It'll be so much fun! Well, thanks again, Retsuko. I'll text you the details later!"

Tsunoda waved as she hopped off in her cheerful bubble, leaving Retsuko stunned at her locker. _Wait, what just happened?_

Fenneko, already half-dressed in uniform, laughed that sarcastic laugh of hers. Retsuko closed her eyes and sighed. "Why on a Monday?" _I can't deal with this crap. I want to go home and go back to bed._

"Classic Tsunoda," Fenneko said as she buttoned up her blouse. "I wonder how Haida will react to a dinner date with Tsunoda of all people?"

"It was nice of her to invite us. Maybe it won't be so bad."

Fenneko closed her locker and adjusted the strap of her shoe. "Maybe. Or maybe he'll freak out that your relationship is public knowledge and feel pressured to keep things perfect and ideal so as not to perpetuate the myth that office relationships are doomed. See you in a couple minutes. Don't forget about Ton's desk."

"Yeah, thanks, Fenneko."

As Retsuko changed into her work clothes, she did wonder about Haida's reaction. _Were office relationships doomed?_ That didn't sound very nice. She needed a plan to keep their personal lives private. Not only had she and Haida agreed to take things slowly, but they had also agreed to keep their relationship low-key. So far, based on Tsunoda's reaction, that would be an issue. Okay, she needed to finish changing, get Mr. Ton's desk arranged, and focus on her work.

Then, in the middle of dusting Mr. Ton's desk, she wondered how she should interact with Haida in their day-to-day office exchanges. They weren't lovey-dovey or anything, so maybe just the usual response would okay. Or would that send Haida into a tailspin thinking that she wasn't interested? No, she thought, he was more reasonable than that. Not a lot of confidence, but he should understand that they were at work and their personal lives were separate. Right?

"Calendar!" The gruff voice snapped her from her inner monologue. "Stay there a moment."

Mr. Ton approached his desk, golf bag slung over one shoulder. Komiya strode in ahead of him and before Mr. Ton sat in his chair, Komiya inspected the desk for dust. The jerk had the gall to run his finger along the top! Retsuko already had filled the humidifier and had arranged the requisite flower in the glass vase, so at least those were ready for inspection.

"What's this?" Komiya cried, pointing an outraged index finger at the daisy Retsuko had selected. "Mr. Ton's desk demands a stronger flower than a mere daisy! Throw it away and pick something better, missy!"

Without speaking, Mr. Ton set his golf clubs against the wall behind him; he sat in his chair which creaked after the many years of strain under his immense weight. "Nah, the daisy's fine, Komiya. Leave it."

"Where's Mr. Ton's tea?" asked Komiya, as though Mr. Ton had requested the tea several hours ago, and Retsuko had forgotten to get it. "Mr. Ton always has his morning tea at nine o'clock on the dot!"

"I'll…go make it up," Retsuko said. Mr. Ton did like his cup of tea to start the day.

"Do that in a minute," Mr. Ton told her. "What I want to talk about is this new…'office romance' you got goin' with Haida."

"Oh." _This can't be good._

"You're really crossing the line!" Komiya interjected, but fell back, trembling, when Mr. Ton glared at him.

"Haida's a good kid," Mr. Ton continued. "I like him. You may be incompetent and make too many mistakes, but you get your work done." Mr. Ton paused and narrowed his eyes, shooting what felt like a laser into her soul. Retsuko's stomach dropped to her feet. "When you're at work, you're here to do the work. I'm warning you here and now, I'm not allowing any funny business between the two of you while you're on the clock. If I catch you two messing around on the job or even hear about it from someone else, I'll ax both of you."

"I, uh, I understand," she said. "We'll be sure to keep our personal lives out of the workplace."

"Good. Now make me some tea. Make it strong," he said. "We've got some bigwig auditors coming in to check after us. Our books need to be immaculate."

Retsuko bowed and turned to walk to the Tea Room. Well, that had gone better than she expected. She switched on the burner for the tea kettle. Mr. Ton was a decent person under the chauvinistic exterior; Komiya, however, was a simpering lackey through and through. He'd be the one she'd have to worry about. She had finished steeping the tea and had stepped out into the hall, when out of the corner of her eye she saw Haida disengage from a large huddle of other coworkers to hurry towards her.

"Good morning, Retsuko," Haida called. "That Mr. Ton's tea?"

She smiled and waited for him to catch up. "Good morning. Yes. He wanted it strong today."

"Oh, boy. We've got a long day ahead of us if that's the case," he said, returning her smile with one of his own. "Hey, when you have the chance, email me about your yoga class. I want to make sure I'm signed up and ready to go."

"Are you sure?" she asked. She stopped at the corner before they walked into Mr. Ton's (and Komiya's) view. "I don't want you to feel forced into anything." _Like you are with Tsunoda's charity dinner._ She would have to find a good time to break it to him that they were going to that.

"I'm actually pretty excited about it. New experiences and all," he said. Although his tone was light, Hiro's scathing commentary on her personality must have been bothering him. "So let me know, okay?"

"Okay."

She let him walk ahead of her and delivered Mr. Ton's tea without incident. Between her returning the tray to the Tea Room and sitting at her work station, a large stack of paperwork appeared, courtesy, no doubt, of Tsubone. Fenneko was already there, engaged in rapid typing on some report or other, so Retsuko booted up her laptop and opened the necessary programs to begin her work.

When lunchtime was called, she blinked- -and was amazed to see how much time had passed. She got her lunch from her locker and met Haida and Fenneko at their usual table. After their normal banter, Haida fell silent a moment and affected a serious look.

"Thanks again, you guys, for dealing with my brother," he said. "I'm sorry he was so rude."

"Haida, it's fine. You don't have to keep apologizing," said Fenneko, between bites from her tuna fish sandwich. "Besides, we scared him back to UTokyo with his tail between his legs. He shouldn't be a problem anymore."

"I know, but his behavior really was inexcusable." Haida ducked his head. "I want to make it up to you guys somehow."

Fenneko frowned. "As far as I'm concerned, you already did when you paid for dinner. Now, as your friend, I'm telling you to drop it. Right, Retsuko?"

"Right," said Retsuko, taking her cue. The thing with Tsunoda had nagged at her the entire morning, and she decided the sooner she told Haida, the better. "Oh, Haida, I have, uh, something to tell you. In private."

She didn't get the chance to speak further. They heard her before she appeared- -an enthusiastic, over-loud pink hippo with twitching ears and a gaped-tooth smile. "Hi, you guys! Congratulations on the new relationship status! Did you have a good time at Shinjuku? By the way," Kabae said without pause for response, "I heard there was a wild boar captured there on Saturday morning. Did you two see it?"

Haida glanced at Retsuko, but she kept her cool and said, "No. We didn't hear about it until you mentioned it this second."

"Oh, that's too bad," Kabae said. "I heard that they found the poor creature in a thicket. It was so terrified that it wouldn't stop shivering. In fact, when the groundskeeper set up the cage, it ran right in without a fight. They said that's the first time any of them had seen something like that! Pretty interesting, am I right?"

"Yep," Retsuko agreed, her features schooled into neutral pleasantness. "Say, didn't your son have a thing over the weekend? How'd that go?"

The tangent worked. Kabae elucidated the trio for the next ten minutes about her son's swim competition, and then mercifully, Tsubone called her away.

"Great," Haida said as soon as she was out of earshot. "If Kabae knows about us, everyone does."

"That can't be helped. It was bound to happen sooner or later." Retsuko sighed. "Anyway, what I need to tell you can't wait. Will you come with me, please?"

"Sure," he said. "Fenneko, you'll be okay by yourself for a few minutes?"

She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, attention already on her phone. Retsuko led Haida to the Archives Room, her special quiet place, her sanctuary when everything seemed to go wrong in her life, but she wasn't angry enough to sing the cathartic death metal. The Archives Room was located at the back of the office, and it was unusual for anyone to be there. It was a risk to bring him here, but she didn't want everyone to overhear their conversation. She opened the door for him, but he hesitated. His features showed his obvious skepticism.

"What's wrong?" she asked. She couldn't help a quick glance up and down the hall. "I promise it's nothing bad."

"It's just…when we were all hung-over from the last office drinking party, I somehow ended up passed out in there. I cannot for the life of me remember how I ended up on the floor in _Archives_." Oops. She'd forgotten she'd judo-chopped him and dragged him in there earlier.

"Well, I think you'll remember this," she told him. "Go in. It'll be fine."

She closed the door after them. So here we are, she thought, in a secluded room, staring at each other. It felt different, the two of them, alone in private, their breath stirring the stale, cool air. "So, um, our relationship is pretty much public knowledge now, hunh?"

"Yeah. And here I was hoping we'd be a low-key couple." He rubbed the back of his head. She got a waft of great-smelling deodorant off him. "I think we'll have to tell everyone it's personal. We shouldn't talk about private stuff at the office anyway…it's unprofessional. I'm sure Mr. Ton has some opinions about us."

"You're right. He's got his eye on us, so I want to make this quick," she told him. "Tsunoda talked me into agreeing to attend a charity dinner for couples. She rushed through it so fast that I couldn't tell her no. Please forgive me."

"A charity dinner for couples." He seemed to mull it over. "Who's Tsunoda bringing?"

"Manumaru down in Sales," Restuko replied. "Are you okay with this?"

He reached out to squeeze her hand. "Tsunoda does tend to make decisions for other people. It's not your fault, so no forgiveness needed. We'll go with Tsunoda and Manumaru and hopefully have a good time, yeah?"

"You're really not mad at me?"

"I can't be. I've seen firsthand how Tsunoda gets what she wants. I'm fine, I promise."

"Thanks, Hiada." She squeezed his hand back, and for the first time, got how nice of a guy he was. "I was worried this would make you feel pressured after we agreed to no pressure."

"I think we'll be okay. We outted ourselves as a couple, so we have to survive the blow-back," Haida said. "Things will die down and get back to normal as soon as the newness of our relationship wears out. People like having something to talk about."

Retsuko wanted to linger there with him, but she was too afraid of Komiyo or Mr. Ton, so they exited Archives. No one seemed to have noticed their absence, and that was a tremendous relief to Retsuko. When they returned to Fenneko, she was so focused on her cellphone, thumbs tapping out texts a mile a minute, that when Haida leaned to her ear and said, "Boo!" she jolted about three feet in the air.

"What the hell?" she said, baring sharp teeth at Haida. Retsuko noticed how fast her finger clicked off her phone. "Don't scare me like that!"

Haida laughed. "You're acting awful guilty. What're you up to?"

"Up to? Me? Nothing," she said, but a telling blush had crept along her neck. "How was your little make-out session in the Archives Room?"

" _Fenneko!"_ Retsuko spoke through gritted teeth. "Shut up!"

"Not so loud!" Haida said at the same time. Both he and Retsuko scanned the lunch room for any big ears. She didn't see anyone who appeared to be interested, but Fenneko's tease jittered inside her heart.

Fenneko's reaction was to lift her brow. "Oh?"

"Mr. Ton made it extremely clear that he would fire me and Haida if we were caught in the middle of any 'funny business,'" Retsuko whispered, "so please don't even joke about it."

"Mr. Ton said that? Is it against company policy to have a workplace romance?" asked Fenneko. "I thought most modern businesses did away with backwards rules like that."

Haida leaned closer to Retsuko. That spicy scent hit her in the face again. _Seriously, what deodorant does he use?_ "He said that? Really?"

"Yes, so we have to make sure we don't merit any gossip along those lines," she said. _If he doesn't step away, he might find my face up his armpit. What am I thinking? Get a grip, Retsuko!_ "We should get back. Our lunch time is almost up."

"Here, Fenneko, let me get you something from the drink machine," Haida said as Retsuko walked out of earshot.

She settled in at her station and reviewed the document she had saved prior to lunch. As soon as she got seated, Tsubone popped up from nowhere with a huge stack of additional forms for her to input, "And have them done by the end of the day, dear!"

Mr. Ton and Komiya practiced their golf swings in the open area between the desks. Same old, same old. At one point, Fenneko asked her to the bathroom because she was curious about what Retsuko and Haida had discussed in Archives. Retsuko laughed it off and said it was nothing important. Fenneko didn't press her, and they returned to their workstations having refreshed their make-up.

Her desk looked different. She thought she had at least two or three large stacks more piled up around the edges. _Wait, am I…seeing things?_ She was so overwhelmed with the additional assignments that she shrugged it off. _Must be my imagination_. Then she zoned out to get through her numbers. Five o'clock approached.

"Retsuko-dear, will you come here, please?" Tsubone called from her desk.

Retsuko hopped off her chair, felt a twinge in her back, and went to Tsubone. "Yes, what is it? Do I have mistakes to correct?"

"I'm actually surprised to say this, but your work today has been excellent," Tsubone said, forked tongue flicking behind the red lipstick. She showed Retsuko the spiral-bound ledger. "There were no mistakes on this today. I knew I picked the right person to complete this."

"Um…thank you," Retsuko said, unsure where this kindness came from and where it was going. When had she completed that particular ledger? She didn't remember doing it. Well, one report or ledger often blurred into the next and the next and the next. "I'm glad I did a good job."

"Before you go back to your desk, would you perhaps do me a favor?"

"Sure." _Open another stupid jar?_

It wasn't a jar lid this time. Tsubone handed Retsuko a stack of printed papers. "I need you to head down to Sales and hand these to Resasuke. Tell him they are to be filed immediately."

Retsuko took the papers. As she stood at the elevator, she wondered if he would even remember her or care that she was there. _Resasuke, my former space cadet from down in Sales_. She waited for her emotions to catch up to the thought and found she was ambivalent to seeing him. He sparked no real strong feelings; no anger, no wistfulness, nothing. How had she fallen in love with someone she had moved on from so easily? He had probably forgotten about her the day after they broke up, so what was she worried about?

Once in the Sales Department, she strode with confidence into the lines of desks set up for maximum efficiency. She knew the path to his desk well and saw his light tan ears poking above a computer screen. He was here, at least. She came to a stop at his shoulder, somewhat perturbed at the mess of empty blue cans scattered on his desk, and said his name. He didn't respond.

"Resasuke? Resasuke," she said. She tugged his chair to spin him around and snapped her fingers in front of his nose. "Hey, are you awake? Resasuke?"

He stirred, blinking his eyes as he came back to planet Earth. "Oh. Retsuko," he replied in that mild, unremarkable way. "Hi."

"Yes. Hi. Here are some forms that need to be filed immediately," she said, setting the stack in a small, uncluttered area on his desk. Then she turned to leave. "Be sure to do it before you go home or you'll forget."

"Retsuko."

"Hm?"

She looked over her shoulder to see what he wanted, and in that instant, he pinned a look so forlorn on her that she froze. He said, simply, "I miss you."

With that warhead detonated in front of her, Resasuke spun his chair around, leaving her slack-jawed and staring at the back of his head. _Did that…did that just happen?_ In a daze, she managed to get back to the elevators, exit on the right floor, and stagger to her seat. How was she supposed to respond to that? Did he actually miss her?

She glanced across at Haida, and as though she communicated a telepathic message to him, he looked up at her. He smiled- -and she melted. Resasuke had had his chance, and he'd not taken it. She had made the right choice in breaking up with him, but perhaps…perhaps he was lonely. Maybe he needed a woman's perspective. Maybe she could help him find someone that would suit his…unique personality.

Or she could be making this whole thing up in her head.

* * *

 **A/N:** Well, dear readers and lurkers, I've been thinking of changing the title of the story to "First Date and Beyond" or something equally insipid. Let me know what your thoughts are. Also, I do hope you enjoyed this latest installment. I put in lots of little threads on which to weave future conflicts. I might make a switch back to Haida for Chapter 6. We'll see how I'm feeling. Until next time!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** And welcome back, dear readers and lurkers. I took some definite license with the name of Retsuko's yoga place, mainly because naming things makes it easier to write. I'm sure the upcoming season will make this an AU story, but whatevs. I can have my head-canon if I want.

* * *

 **~ Chapter 6 ~**

* * *

 **Haida hesitated in front** of the colorful sign advertising the yoga studio. It was very…zen-like, he decided. Stalling for more time, he rechecked the name and address of the place against Retsuko's email; this was it- -where she did her yoga. He wanted nothing more than to turn around, head down the stairs, and go home. It'd be okay to sign up another day, right?

 _Don't chicken out,_ said Fenneko's stern voice. _You promised yourself._ Well, there was no arguing with that.

"Here goes," he murmured. When he opened the door, he immediately regretted it. At least a dozen heads swiveled in his direction. Everyone had arms and legs contorted in an uncomfortable-looking position. A hot flush worked its way up his neck. "Uh…hi?"

"Welcome to Yogi's Yoga!" said a cheerful woman, a lemur, at the front of the studio. She wore a sweatband and cut-off shirt and shorts in neon colors. "Come on in. Are you here to join us?"

"Ah…yes. I need to, um, sign up."

"Protein!" This utterance came from a large, fleshy kangaroo with enormous arms, who'd been doing repetitious push-ups next to the yoga instructor. A pool of sweat had collected on the floor beneath him. The shiny, super sweaty guy rose and gestured at Haida. "Protein. Protein."

"This is our guru Yogi. He's also the owner of the establishment," said the yoga instructor. She, and the rest of the class, continued to hold their pose. "He says to follow him to his office."

"Protein."

"Uh, sure."

As Haida walked along the outer wall of the place, the back of his neck prickled under the unwanted attention. Once the door to the office closed, he felt instant relief. The guru's office was chilly and sparsely furnished. On one of the plain white walls, a large dry-erase board resided with a calendar drawn across it showing the frequency of the classes, times, and who was in charge of them. Yogi sat behind a desk with a laptop and a phone and clipped a form to a clipboard with a pen.

Haida seated himself in one of the chairs in front of the desk. Yogi slid the clipboard over to him. "Thanks."

"Protein."

 _Does this guy say anything besides 'protein'? Retsuko could've warned me!_ Despite his misgivings, Haida read through the waiver. The fee wasn't as expensive as he thought it would be- -eliminating one or two nights of drinking or eating out per month would cover the cost. He could sign up for an email mailing, which he did (in for a penny, in for a pound) and reviewed what the membership offered. Then he signed his looping signature at the bottom of the page and dated it.

"Protein! Protein," Yogi said and handed Haida a slip of paper which listed suggested equipment and dress for the class. Then he pointed at the board. "Protein?"

Haida hazarded a guess. "I was thinking every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 5:30."

Yogi nodded and opened the laptop on his desk. "Protein. Protein!"

"Okay, then. I'll be going." Haida folded and slipped the paper into his pocket. "I'll see you tomorrow at 5:30. Thanks for your help."

"Protein."

Once he left the studio, he texted Retsuko: _u didn't say the guy was weird!_

 _lol, sorry,_ she replied. She inserted some embarrassed laughing faces. _He really likes protein but he's nice. R u you signed up?_

 _yep, I start tomorrow, 5:30._

 _That's great! We'll have fun, you'll see._

He hesitated a second, then typed: _did u get off work on time?_ While he waited, he knew he shouldn't tempt fate, but he couldn't help it. He descended the stairwell and exited the building to the street below to head towards the train station.

Finally Restuko replied, _yes. btw, while on an errand in sales I saw space cadet._

Haida breathed a sigh of relief. Had she known, she would've said something, right? Of course, he owed Fenneko big time for running interference while he slipped three of those giant stacks of paperwork off Retsuko's desk. It had been risky, he knew that, but his outrage over Ton's and Tsubone's treatment of Retsuko was too vast to ignore. This time, he didn't ask Retsuko. This time, he went ahead and did it anyway.

He returned his attention to his phone and replied, _oh?_

The consequences- -should he be caught doing Retsuko's assigned work- -were dire, indeed. Ton and Tsubone would ream him; Retsuko might think he, Haida, patronized her. However, even though these were terrible results, even though he risked a formal warning placed in his personnel file, or worse, Retsuko's wrath, he did not stop himself from sneaking off with that paperwork. He about had a heart attack, true, but the palpitations had been worth it for Retsuko to get off work on time. The scariest thought, he reflected, was that he'd do it again without thinking.

His phoned dinged. Retsuko said: _he seemed so lonely. i feel bad for him._

That text derailed his train of thought. What did she mean? Should he be worried that Resasuke was after Retsuko again? What if Retsuko wanted to give Resasuke a second chance? Would saying something sound jealous or insecure? Was he overreacting? He had waited for this opportunity with Retsuko for such a long time, and he didn't want anything or anyone to ruin it.

She texted again: _maybe we could invite him out w the 3 of us…if that's ok?_

He took a deep, calming breath. It's not a big deal, he thought. She's a good person, and I can trust her. She won't go behind my back. He replied, _Sure, let me know._

After his train ride, he stopped in for some groceries at the local OK Supermarket and headed home. A headache nagged at the back of his head; he was probably dehydrated or hungry, but he was also tired of dealing with people- -people at work, people on the train, people on the sidewalk, and on and on. When he opened the door to his apartment, he found Hiro sprawled across the sofa with a game controller in hand. _What...?_

"Welcome home, big brother," Hiro greeted as he paused the game. "I was wondering when you would be getting back."

Haida froze, agape in the doorway as Hiro stood and took the grocery bags from his arms. After a couple of seconds, Haida unstuck his tongue and formed words. "What are you doing here?"

There was a pause. "I thought we should talk _tete-a-tete_."

"There is nothing you can say to me that I want to hear."

Hiro turned to face Haida fully; the frown, punctuated with the black stripes, rattled Haida. "How about 'I'm sorry'?"

"You're sorry?" Haida repeated. He huffed an incredulous laugh and closed the apartment door. To play for time- - _it's been a long time since I've seen that frown_ \- -he reached down to unlace and wiggle his feet out of his work shoes. "You're never sorry about anything."

The last time he'd seen such a deep frown was prior to high school graduation when Haida declared his abhorrence for the medical profession and told his parents he was going into accounting instead. Come to think of it, that had marked the beginning of the end of his relationship with his younger brother. They were never the same together afterwards.

"I can be sorry this time," replied Hiro, grabbing a pack of rice noodles out of the grocery bag. "I'll even make dinner. That's how serious I am." He shook the package. "Do you forgive me?"

"I'm not sure. You're not acting like your usual self." Haida studied his younger brother a moment. "Where is this coming from?"

Hiro returned to unpacking the groceries and setting the items on the counter. "Maybe I thought it was time to stop being related strangers."

That quiet comment floored Haida because it mirrored his own reflections. His brother was confident and brash and manipulative; Haida didn't know how to respond to this new side that had reared its head. That is…if this wasn't another game. On the other hand, Hiro's tell-tale smirk was not present anywhere on his face, but that frown had been there. He behaved in a serious and solemn manner. Was this…was this a sign of a catastrophic problem? Did his brother have cancer? _Was his brother dying of cancer?!_

"There's…nothing wrong with you is there?" Haida asked, wanting to know but also dreading the answer. Hiding the silent freak-out he indulged, Haida stepped beside Hiro to put dried goods into the cabinet, while Hiro opened the fridge for the cold foods. "Like you have six months to live or something?"

"No," and Hiro chuckled, which alleviated Haida's headfirst leap into anxiety, "Nothing like that. I'm fine. I'm…second guessing myself."

"You? You're second guessing yourself?" Haida was amazed his brother even had one insecurity. "Is this…about medical school?"- -that being the first thing that came to mind.

"Yeah, medical school."

"You better sit down and tell me then. I'll make dinner," Haida told his brother. "You talk, I cook."

Hiro offered a weak smile, and it made his brother unrecognizable. "Does this mean you forgive me for acting like a jerk last night?"

"I suppose." He'd sort of wanted Hiro to writhe in guilt for awhile longer, but Haida could take the high road this one time. As he pulled out pans and ingredients, Haida said, "What's going on?"`

As Haida moved around the kitchen, Hiro talked. He talked about how tired he was all the time; he was tired of _being_ tired all the time. He talked about how many hours the studying and research and writing took, how there was no break in the future for him since when he graduated after a continuous, six-year undergraduate education, he would be going into residency another two years. He talked about how his graduating class had dwindled from 155 candidates to 20. Several others expressed their desire to drop out in the near future because they were also burned out.

"I see," Haida said when Hiro seemed done. "Maybe you need a break. Is it possible to take some time off to regroup and energize yourself?"

"Yeah, I thought that too. But you know Mom and Dad would murder me," Hiro said. "Also it's risky to throw your timeline off. Some classes are hard to get into even though they are required…professors are too busy and too few for those classes to be offered frequently. And then what if I forget something important that's asked in the exam? And then the scholarship money won't support a break, even a lousy semester!" Hiro bowed over, groaning, and put his forehead on the table.

Haida nodded his understanding as he set out plates, bowls, and chopsticks. The food was ready, and so Haida arranged it on the table. Then he sat across from Hiro. "Everyone goes through low points in their lives. Everyone has frustrations and stress and times when they're not sure they're doing the right thing. Sometimes, you just have to stick it out."

"Is that what you're doing at work?" When Haida didn't respond, Hiro pressed the point. "Are you sticking it out there because of Retsuko?"

Hiro's question was difficult to answer- -and brought up complications. Haida didn't think he was cut out to build his own accounting firm; he certainly didn't want to move up into management. Talk about a total nightmare scenario. Should he leave his current firm to take a position at a different one, the same stupid crap would happen, only with people he hadn't built a rapport with over the last five years. And yes, Retsuko.

"Yeah, I'm sticking it out at work. Retsuko's not the only reason though," he replied. "Accountants are a dime a dozen in Tokyo. I've at least made some progress up the pay scale for my loyalty to the company."

"You are so much better than that place," Hiro said, in such a low tone that Haida thought he misheard. "You're too smart to be there."

 _Where had that come from?_ Haida set down his chopsticks, his appetite withering up at the direction of this conversation. "Let's keep focused on you and your problem. When's the end of the current semester?"

"May and then we have a three week summer break before classes start again," Hiro responded. Haida knew that Hiro's compliance was temporary. "I've got rugby practice going on and appointments for the scholarship committee and with my guidance counselor to schedule classes. I also volunteered to help one of my professors on a research project, so I can't even leave Tokyo."

"Your break isn't even a break," said Haida. "That's what your issue is. You're a workaholic like Mom is! No wonder you're exhausted."

"That's a perfectly normal schedule!"

Hiro sighed. "You were complaining about this 'normal schedule' earlier."

"I…I don't know whether I want to do this anymore," Hiro rubbed the middle of his forehead, "and I don't know if I can keep up the pretending."

"I get it. You know, you're welcome here anytime you need somewhere quiet, and I'll be here to listen to your whining," said Haida with a half-smile; Hiro perked up with a small smile of his own. Then to further lighten the mood, "Since we're talking about career switches, maybe I ought to become a therapist. They make a zillion yen an hour, right?"

"And all they have to say is 'How did that make you feel?' the entire time," said Hiro. They both laughed. "That doesn't sound half bad."

"Help me with dishes, then we can play some NarioKart," Haida offered as he picked up his own plate. "You can therapeutically kick my butt, and we'll have a chill evening. Crash on the couch for the night. Then you can catch an early train back to campus."

"Thanks. I'd like that," replied Hiro, who did in fact stand to gather up dishes. "You don't have a hot date with Retsuko, do you? I'd be okay if you did."

"Nah. We hadn't planned anything. We might later this week," Haida replied. "We had to deal with work drama today- -everyone found out we were official when we wanted to keep our dating low-key."

"Yikes."

As Haida flipped the faucet handle to run hot water in the sink, he continued, "Retsuko said that one of our coworkers coerced her into a charity dinner, details to follow. I'm sure it's going to be a black tie event, so I'll have to rent a tux or something. I'll look ridiculous."

"Ridiculous or not, when you go, be sure to tell her how beautiful she looks," said Hiro. "Chicks love a compliment."

Hiro laughed, thinking that it was a joke, but no, one look at Hiro corrected him. "I would've told Retsuko that anyway. I'm not a complete moron when comes to women."

"Heh, yeah, you are. Otherwise, some smart lady would've snapped you up ages ago," said Hiro.

Wait...had what Hiro said been to flatter or insult? A cellphone chirped. "That's mine," Hiro said and dove his hand into his pocket.

Haida busied himself with the dish soap, and when he glanced at Hiro after a moment, his brother was tapping out a rapid message. The screen glowed on his excited features. That had been a sudden reversal in mood. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," replied Hiro. The feline grin showcased those magnificent incisors. "A change in my evening plans. Thanks for dinner, but I gotta run. I going to tell Mom you cook just like her!"

"Thanks, I guess," Haida said, and a minute later as Hiro left, "Bye! Be careful!"

"Bye!" Then the door closed.

Haida continued to wash the dishes and lost himself in the repetitious nature of scrubbing the plateware, rinsing them off, and setting them on the rack to dry. The apartment was quiet except for the white noise of the refrigerator and the air system. He used the time to reflect on Hiro's change in attitude, and how he, Haida, had taken for granted that his brother would never want to confide in him. Hiro was correct, though. Mom and Dad would kill Hiro for switching so far along in his medical studies; however, should Hiro want the change, the consequences would be worthwhile to endure, and now Haida was more inclined to support whatever decision Hiro chose.

When the dishes were set to dry, Haida changed into his lay-about clothes- -sweatpants, a t-shirt, and a hoodie. He grabbed his blue guitar off its stand. On the coffee table between the sofa and the television was his suped-up laptop, and he plugged in the guitar to an adapter on the side of the laptop. When the computer was ready, he double-clicked the program he used to record his playing; he liked to listen to his meandering riffs and pickings and chords. Most of the time he sounded like trash, but sometimes he'd hear an interesting combination in the playback.

He slipped a pair of nearby headphones over his ears, started strumming the strings, sliding and pressing his fingers against the frets, and floated around in his own musical nirvana for what he thought was an hour. When he glanced at his phone, he was shocked that it was well past midnight. That's what he deserved for not putting on a timer, and _what were these messages?_

Damn. Mom had messaged him eight times! _Call me! Call me when you can. Are you ignoring me? Call! Haida, call your mother_ , and so on and so forth. What did she need? Did she not think he had a life and that he spent the entirety of his free time staring at his phone? The last message was at nine- -there were four voicemails, the last one also at nine. Eh, he'd call her tomorrow morning. Mom was up at the crack of dawn, and when he'd told her he was up at 7:30 to be into work at 9:00, she seemed appalled that he wasn't up at 5:00 instead. She seemed perpetually worried that he'd be late to work even though he'd never been in the five years at the firm, nor had he ever been late to school.

Then, as his finger hovered over the off-button, he had an incoming call from Hiro. _That's strange._ Hiro never called, and why now at almost one in the morning? Regardless, he accepted. "Hey, what's up?"

"Has Mom been trying to get a hold of you?" Hiro asked without greeting.

"Yeah. Do you know what for?"

"No idea. She's been ringing me off the hook, too, but I've been busy and haven't answered."

"She's probably calling me," said Haida, "to see what you're up to. I'll get back to her tomorrow morning."

"Uh, hey, bro? Do me a favor and let me know what she says when you do?"

Over the line, Haida heard a feminine murmuring in the background. It was too quiet, but Haida swore the voice sounded familiar. "Are you with someone?"

"I gotta go. Let me know what Mom says! Bye!"

Then Hiro clicked off his phone. _Well, that was bizarre._ Mom either annoyed one or the other of them, never both at the same time. Could be that she had news about Dad, who had been diagnosed with hypertension last month. Or, ugh, she wanted to discuss his, Haida's, date with Retsuko. More than likely, she would discuss Hiro and whether Haida had been keeping in touch with his brother, and make sure to tell him that his mother wants to know how he is! And Haida-honey, call more often, we miss you!

He got around for bed, and out of curiosity, he texted Restuko: _You're probably asleep but I wanted to tell u goodnight._

Before he even clicked off his lamp, his phone dinged with Retsuko's response. _Thanks. See u at work tomorrow!_ Then a waving hand and some nighttime emoticons. Was he pathetic in thinking she might send him some hearts or a kissy face? Yeah, _so_ pathetic, especially since their relationship was too new for love signs.

Then he surged upright in bed. Oh, crap! He'd forgotten to get a yoga mat! Wide awake, he used his phone to search for athletic apparel stores near work, and to his relief, there was one within walking distance that opened early, and it even had hours open in the evening, so he could drop by after work, get the mat, and go straight to yoga. Not a problem.

Haida curled up under the covers and fell asleep to images of Retsuko's cute tail and curvy legs in workout shorts. His brain edged around another major issue, but before he could put his finger on it, he faded away into deep sleep.

* * *

 **A/N:** And that issue is Washimi and Gori! Freak-out City, here Haida comes! LOL. I hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you again next time!


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Welcome back, dear readers and lurkers. I'm truly enjoying writing about these side personal dramas that are occurring for Haida and Retsuko. I promise I will return to more 'exclusive' Haida/Retsuko action soon.

* * *

 **~ Chapter 7 ~**

* * *

 **Haida woke up with** his alarm. No sunlight this morning; the dawn was overcast and grey, and when he checked his phone for the forecast, intermittent showers were predicted. _Guess I need my umbrella today._ He showered, dressed, and while the coffee percolated and the bread toasted, he called Mom. As he suspected she would, she picked up after the first ring.

"Haida-honey! Good morning," she greeted. Her cheerfulness this early was truly something to behold. No doubt she'd been this chipper already for the last three hours. "I'm glad you got back to me. I worried when you didn't answer your phone last night. Is everything all right? Your pneumonia didn't flare up, did it? You're feeling okay? Sometimes those illnesses linger."

"Yeah, Mom, I'm fine. I was busy last night," he said. "What's the big emergency?"

"Your father and I saw that wonderful picture on Lifebook of you and the pretty girl you're seeing. Why didn't you say you were dating someone, dearest?"

The toast popped up, so Haida cradled his phone between his shoulder and ear to free up his hands. "I said I had a date, didn't I? That was our first actual date."

"How did it go? Tell me everything. Did you take her to our special family spot in Shinjuku?"

"It was great." As he scraped butter on his toast, he decided to put her on a detour. "Hiro and I had dinner last night."

"Really! So soon again?" Her delighted and shocked tone was worth the sudden switch in topic. Wait. What did she mean 'so soon again?' "He had mentioned meeting Retsuko on Sunday."

The information caused Haida to set his full mug down too hard on the countertop, spilling hot coffee on his hand. "Ouch!" He flicked his hand to cool the coffee. "He _what_?" Flustered, he grabbed a paper towel to wipe up the dribbles before they stained his sleeve.

"Of course he did," she said, all breezy. "He also mentioned another friend? Who was she? Aiyah, you never mention your work friends! Who else are you keeping secret from us?"

A tiny bud of panic sprouted. "What did he say about Retsuko?"

"Well, that she seemed nice and that you two got along," she responded. "I'm so pleased you are out and about, socializing! Your father was concerned you weren't getting out enough to meet people. You always were alone in your room, doing heaven knows what up there."

 _Not so fast, Mom._ "Did you send Hiro over here on Sunday to snoop?"

"Haida, I love you, sweetie, and you don't call often enough to let me know what's going in your busy life," she replied. Everything about her voice was loving and conciliatory, and was meant to distract from what she meant, which was yes, she'd sent Hiro to snoop. "Is it my fault I have to rely on your brother to tell me these things because you won't talk to me?"

"Mom! It's been _one date!_ Stop pressuring me!" he said, a tight knot of hot anger in his chest. Eight in the morning was too early to be in a heated discussion with his mother, defending his choices. "This is why I don't want to talk about my private life! And stop sending Hiro around. I _knew_ it couldn't be a coincidence that I finally have a date, and the next day he shows up, wanting to meet her."

Mom clucked her tongue at him. "No need to get upset, Haida-dear. Dad and I are coming up Saturday morning. We'll spend the day and take you boys to dinner. Invite Retsuko along. We'd love to meet her."

"No, no way," Haida replied. That panic rose up and swallowed the anger. "She won't want to meet my parents after only a week!"

"Darling, this is nothing. It's just a little dinner…it'll be completely casual," Mom said, unfazed and undeterred. "I'll let Hiro know she's coming along."

Haida reached for any excuse. In a high-pitched rush, he told her, "We already have plans this Saturday!"

And to his consternation, his mother outright laughed at him. "Oh," she said, taking a breath, "you are such a terrible liar! Your voice always gives you away. Why don't you want her to meet us? Do we embarrass you? Your father and I worked hard to raise you in a comfortable, steady household, full of quality opportunities to-"

He interrupted before she could continue the guilt trip. "I don't think it's appropriate for her to meet you so soon. We agreed that we'd be a low-key couple and that we wouldn't pressure each other. How do you think she'd feel if I called her up, a day after meeting my brother, two days after our first date, to tell her, 'Oh, by the way, how about dinner with my parents?'"

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. He held his breath for his mother's answer. "Is that really how you feel?"

"Yes. Please, Mom, you and Dad will have dinner with her, but not now," he answered. He sat in a chair, his legs watery with relief that she seemed to give in. "Let me work us up to it."

"If that's what you want," she agreed. Haida, covering the phone with one hand, sighed and slouched as Mom continued. "Before I say goodbye, be sure to tell Hiro to call me. I have something I wish to discuss with him."

He heard the disappointment edging her words, so he said, "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure. I happened to speak with one of my former colleagues at UTokyo the other day, and she expressed some…concerns with Hiro's recent work ethic. I'd like to straighten things out with him," she said.

It could have been because Hiro had shown a renewed interest in being a brother, or it could have been because he opened up about his schooling, but Haida sensed an opportunity to soften a blow for him. "Hey, Mom, go easy on him, okay? He's working really hard to make you proud."

"I understand, Haida-honey, but medical school is not a place where slacking off is acceptable," she responded. "I better let you go. I don't want you to be late for work. Have a fantastic day, sweetie, and I love you."

"Love you, too. Bye."

After they hung up, Haida didn't wait to send Hiro a warning text: _Mom thinks you're slacking off with your studies. Call her to 'straighten things out'._

Then he had to hurry to eat, pack his gym bag, and catch his train downtown. While he'd be be on time to work, there wasn't enough time to purchase his yoga mat. He'd do that after work, he supposed, as he climbed the stairs to the glass doors. After his morning greetings to his coworkers, he rode the elevator and didn't stop a grin because of his rising excitement to see Retsuko.

As usual, he caught up to Fenneko and Retsuko in the hallway. They greeted each other and walked in a loose group to the work area. Haida tried, but failed, to avoid a glance at Retsuko's knees as they winked at him under the hem of her blue work skirt. Then, when an impulse ran across his brain to slide his hand up her thigh, he shoved his fists into his pockets. _Not at work. Not. At. Work._

"Haida, I could use your help in the Tea Room," said Retsuko. "See you in a minute, Fenneko."

Fenneko winked at them. "Are you sure you don't need a look-out?"

"No…I need someone who can reach the top shelf, and I didn't think you qualified," replied Retsuko with a level gaze. Even then, a nerve twitched in Retsuko's forehead. "That's all."

"If you say so." Fenneko gave a shrug and a dismissive wave. "See you in a few."

He and Retsuko stepped into the Tea Room, and he became aware as he walked behind her that she smelled fantastic. Had she worn perfume before and he'd never noticed? This seemed like a pleasant new development. The scent was light, sort of peppy and sweet, but not saccharine- -a soft floral note somewhere in there, but not a flower he immediately recognized. Maybe gardenia? Violet? Hm, not sure. What was it?

"So what do you need?" Haida asked, as he abstained from sniffing at her.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you about yoga. Were you still coming tonight?" she asked. She had an adorable line between her eyebrows that showed her worry.

"Sure," he replied, "but I'll have to meet you there. I need to run down the street for a yoga mat after work."

"That's fine. No worries," she said, and she peered up at him with those irresistible brown eyes. "Um, as a reminder, Washimi and Gori will be there." Under the influence of her gaze, she could be telling him that the apocalypse was happening, and he would have shrugged it off as no big deal. "They're sort of…looking forward to meeting you."

When she reached out to fiddle with his collar, her fingers brushed against his neck, and a wave of heat rushed through him. He absolutely should not pant, tongue lolling, in front of her, and he controlled himself.

"I'll try not to disappoint," he said as he oozed to the tile in a puddle of goo instead. _I might need Fenneko to peel me off the floor._ "Was there…anything else?"

She beamed that cutie-pie smile he adored. "No, that's everything. Thank you."

When she left, a wake of her perfume wafted behind her, maddening him, and Haida floated through it into the hall to their work area. However, outside of her presence, a sudden anxiety reared up to ruin the happy place he inhabited. Washimi? Gori? Soon at the end of the workday, he would face two of the most important professionals in the entire building. _What am I supposed to say? How should I act?_

He and Retsuko had said no pressure, but with such high-flying friends, how could he not feel pressured to make a good impression? Retsuko talked about Washimi and Gori so often that it was clear how much she admired their opinions. That said, if he screwed up with them, there was a distinct possibility that they'd convince Retsuko to leap out of a relationship with a nerd like him! Maybe he should ask Retsuko what to do. They were her friends, after all, and surely she could shed some light on how he was expected to behave. With that thought in mind, he settled in to get his work started.

Not much time passed until Mr. Ton and Tsubone loaded Retsuko up with ever-increasing stacks of paperwork, and even as she smiled and said, "This is okay," he could tell she was upset with it. So, when lunchtime was called, he decided to make his move. He scanned the office. Mr. Ton and Komiya replaced their golf clubs after practicing their swings the entire morning. Tsubone was at her work station, facing away. Everyone else didn't pay any mind. He glanced across the tops of the computers to Fenneko; she caught his look and when he inclined his head towards the bathroom, she rolled her eyes.

"Hey, Retsuko, you mind coming with me to the bathroom before lunch?" Fenneko said. "I've got something I want to show you."

Retsuko broke from her concentration on her work. "Sure. Haida, you'll meet us at our table?"

"You bet," he told her.

He waited until they rounded the corner before he stood and stretched. By this time, Mr. Ton, Komiya, and Tsubone had left the immediate vicinity. His heart pounded in anticipation, and he swallowed around a dry throat. _Okay, be cool_. _No big deal. I'm taking some of my papers to Retsuko's desk to cross-reference the figures. There's nothing suspicious going on._ He leaned over her desk, and after one final scan of the office, he scooped up a large stack from the nearest corner. Using a quick hustle, he stepped around to his own workstation, opened a bottom drawer and dropped the pilfered stack in it. After lunch, he would bring the stack up like it had been there the entire time.

"Haida!"

In his surprise, he slammed shut the drawer with a resounding _WHAM!_ Guilt-stricken, he twisted around to see who called his name, and horror of horrors, it was Tsubone. Her green skin was taut over her stern features, and as she marched towards him, her pink tongue flicking around her red lipsticked mouth, Haida saw his doom approaching. Heart seizing in his chest, blood running cold, he gasped a shuddering breath.

"Yes, ma'am?" The squeak was suspicious, so he cleared his throat and tried again. "Uh, something the matter?"

In reality, she responded the next second, but to Haida's hyper aware state, it seemed like ten years. Her sharp eyes seemed to bore into him. "Would you mind opening this jar for me?"

Haida refrained from a complete collapse, and as he took the jar from her, he said, "How's your wrist?"

"Oh, that's so sweet of you to ask. I have a few more weeks left with this cast," she told him. Her arm hung in a sling, her forearm from elbow to fingers encased in the white plaster. "To tell you the truth, it itches like the dickens."

"That's good. It means your bone is healing," he said, studying the jar. These stupid jars had defeated him too many times to count, but he'd give it another shot. He took a pair of scissors from his desk and whacked the handles of them around the rim of the cap. After that, it popped open when he twisted it. "Here you go. Enjoy your lunch break."

"Thank you. You are a dear."

When she turned away, Haida sank into his office chair and reminded himself how to breathe. _That was too close._ After a few minutes of slowing his heart-rate, he got his lunch and met Retsuko and Fenneko at their usual table. Lunch happened without any further issue. He and Retsuko enjoyed their light conversation; Fenneko contributed every now and again, but had her nose pressed to her phone screen- -surprising, since he thought she'd at least rib him about joining yoga with Retsuko. Before she rose from her seat, Haida nudged Retsuko with his elbow.

"Hey. About Washimi and Gori," he said, and when Retsuko's sole attention was on him, he felt like he couldn't continue without crashing into a flaming wreck. "I, uh, was wondering. Is there…anyway I can impress them?"

Retsuko shared another wholesome smile with him. Her hand again lifted to fool with his collar- -the heat rushed, again, into his chest and up his neck. "They'll want to know you as a person, not a subordinate. I promise you have nothing to worry about. Just…be yourself."

 _I want to marry this woman and spend the rest of my life with her._ He had known he was in love her. He knew that, but this additional fact, this simple life truth, burst into his brain from somewhere deep under his heart with the emotional seismology of a nine on the Richter scale, and through sheer willpower alone, he nodded his head and didn't blurt what was on his mind. She got up, oblivious to his personal revelation, to throw away her trash.

"You coming?" she asked when he didn't move.

"Yeah. In a minute."

"Oh. Okay. I'll see you soon."

"Yeah."

As he watched her walk away, he fought the compulsion to leap up, sweep her into his arms, and leave this horrid place forever. He'd live with Retsuko on a tropical island in the middle of the ocean where they could make out on the beach and drink fancy fruit cocktails and swim in turquoise waters. Impractical, yes, but it was a lovely daydream. He was not a man who suffocated or clung to others; he liked alone, he liked being solitary, he liked peace and quiet _away_ from everyone. At this moment, he promised himself that he was not letting Retsuko get away; he was going to hold onto her with both hands.

He rose from his chair, a bit unsteady as his heart threatened to burst from its fullness, and went back to being a corporate zombie for the time being. Even with Retsuko's extra stack of paperwork, he managed to complete everything before the end of the workday. Retsuko had one or two more files to check, but she would be done with those in a few minutes. Tsubone did not even glance at the report he handed her, so with that issue resolved, he gathered together his umbrella and gym bag to head out.

After purchasing his yoga mat, he again found himself at Yogi's Yoga, and despite Retsuko's pep talk, despite his unwavering commitment to her happiness, he found he was unable to cross the threshold. In there would be Washimi and Gori! Washimi! Gori! Out here was safe. And though he had no reason to be terrified of them, they were intimidating as hell. He would say something to embarrass Retsuko; he would offend one or both of them, or he would be a complete and utter moron, and they would hate him. Here he remained, examining the psychedelic advertisement, stalling for time as he worked up the courage to enter the studio.

"Protein! Protein?" Climbing up the metal staircase was Yogi himself. "Protein."

"Uh, hi! I'm just, uh, arriving." _Lame!_ "Sorry. Here you go."

Haida stepped aside to let Yogi pass by, but the buff kangaroo opened the door and maneuvered Haida in ahead of him. Not content to let Haida off the hook, Yogi escorted him to the men's locker room and deposited him behind the door, where Haida had no choice but to change into some workout clothes and store his bag in a locker.

 _Okay. You can do this._ He stepped out of the locker room with a confidence he didn't feel and scanned the arrivals. Retsuko hadn't shown up yet, nor did he see Washimi or Gori. Maybe they'd miss today.

Yogi was nearby, his arms crossed. "Protein." He tugged Haida's arm and steered him to an open spot, where he pointed with a stern forefinger. "Protein."

"Oh…okay."

The choice made for him, again, Haida rolled out his mat and felt a little lost as to what he was supposed to be doing. Mostly everyone stood around in conversation, so he hung out, spying details around the studio to prevent a serious freak-out session. A few more women arrived, and among them, a couple other men who shot Haida a thumb's up, which boosted his confidence. When the yoga instructor issued a two minute warning, Retsuko entered with Washimi and Gori from the women's locker room. She spotted him, her face crinkled in a way that lifted him, and she hurried over to set up next to him.

"Haida, this is Washimi and Gori. Gori, Washimi, this is Haida," she said.

 _Don't be a dork, don't be a dork, don't be a dork…_ "It's nice to meet you," he said, taking first Washimi's offered pinion and then Gori's hand. "I've heard some incredible things about you two. All good, of course," he added, with a laugh.

"It's nice to finally meet you, too." Washimi smiled at him, but that smile didn't reach her penetrating gaze. It was difficult for Haida to endure; he shifted under it. "Retsuko's been filling us in. I'm sure your ears were burning."

"You would think with these big things that I'd get great reception, but the radio stations are lousy," he said as a joke.

Gori and Retsuko laughed; Washimi's smile became less brittle and more natural. Gori said, "I think it's very open-minded of you to come to yoga with us. Not many men would try it out."

"It never hurts to try new things," he said, glancing at Retsuko. "I'm learning how to step out of my comfort zone."

At the front of the studio, the yoga instructor hit a gong to indicate that class was starting. He, Retsuko, Gori, and Washimi separated out to their mats. Haida spent the next hour watching and listening to the instructor; he wasn't flexible, but the instructor assured the class that flexibility would come with time and to do what they could with the more advanced poses. He found his mind cleared to concentrate on each pose, and when the yoga instructor took them through some light finishing stretches, he was amazed how quickly the hour had passed.

As they picked up their mats, Retsuko turned to him. "What do you think?"

"You were right. It was fun," he said, and he spoke the truth. "I can tell I'm going to be sore though. My muscles don't move much these days."

"I know what you mean. Be sure to drink lots of water," she replied. "It'll get better the more you come."

He reached out his hand to hers. "Thanks for letting me tag along."

"I'm glad you did," she said and accepted his hand with a squeeze. He wasn't sure whether the flush in her cheeks was from happiness or exercise. "It means a lot to me that you tried."

"So do you two want to come out to dinner with us?" Gori asked. "There's a fantastic noodle place around the corner, I hear. We can get to know each other even better!"

"Is…that okay?" Haida asked Retsuko. "I don't have dinner plans."

She hesitated. "Sounds fun," she said at last. "Let's go change and meet up in a few minutes."

Washimi didn't say anything, but rather Haida felt she reserved her opinion for private- -during the hour, he had felt her eyes on the back of his neck, his hackles prickling with the intensity of her study. Those nerves gathered in the pit of his stomach; had he passed her test? Gori seemed pretty easygoing, and really, anyone who laughed at his dumb jokes was in Haida's good graces. Washimi, on the other hand, seemed more difficult to convince.

He supposed he'd give it his best shot at dinner.

* * *

 **A/N:** Gotta love Washimi and Gori. Hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you next time. BTW...is everyone okay out there? Very few of you reacted to the last chapter, so I now I'm worried about you all.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I also do not own _Dr. Who_.

 **A/N:** Before we begin, there are some things you just don't mess with and _Dr. Who_ is one of those things.

* * *

 **~ Chapter 8 ~**

* * *

 **Their small group** arranged to meet on the landing outside the doors to the yoga studio. Haida tried not to worry about how the humidity curled his fur into flyaways, and he tried not to worry about Washimi's cool appraisals. He was first out, and while he waited, in order to distract himself from a pending panic attack (Washimi! Gori! At the same time!), he checked his phone- -one text from Hiro thanking him for the head's up, and one from Fenneko asking about yoga. He replied to both, and by that time, Washimi, Gori, and Retsuko were ready to go.

"Follow me," Gori said, beaming at Haida, and led the way down the stairwell. "This'll be so much fun!"

"I hope this noodle place is as good as you say it is. I'm famished," Washimi said. "Lunch was a long time ago."

"You'll love it. They do low-cal bowls and even offer salads," replied Gori. "Something for everyone!"

Haida trailed behind Retsuko, appreciating the view in front of him. Those cute above-knee skirts got at him every time. They crossed the lobby of the building, and as one, stopped short at the doors. The rain that had been forecasted the entire day poured with unabated steadiness, washing the pavement and splattering on the windows; streams of it fast flowing in street gutters and cascading off rooftops. Neon sign lights seemed over-bright against the gray and black clouds. Gori and Washimi stepped out ahead to open their umbrellas.

"It's really coming down," Retsuko sighed, "and I forgot my umbrella."

"Don't worry. You can share mine," said Haida, and he also opened his umbrella. Washimi and Gori waited for them on the pavement, in a quiet conversation. "I'm sorry it's not bigger. You'll have to come closer." _Did you suggest that on purpose, you sly dog? Totally, and I regret nothing._

The rain was heavy enough that it made walking in a tight group impossible. Washimi and Gori stayed in front of them, continuing their conversation in low tones, and they seemed to be giving him and Retsuko some space. Whether or not that was the case, he appreciated the privacy. Although, he hoped they weren't planning how to ditch him and sweep Retsuko away out of his reach.

"I think it'll be okay," she said with a smile, and when she cuddled closer to his side, he lost his breath as a surge of heat burned through him. "Aww, it's a cute design."

"Oh, this?" He laughed, a bit nervy, caught out in full nerd regalia with his TARDIS umbrella. "I sort of have had a life-long obsession with Dr. Who, you know? When I found this, I couldn't resist."

"Dr. Who?" She cut a quizzical glance at him.

"It's a long running television show…a kind of science-fiction saga featuring an alien named The Doctor and his companion," he replied. "I'll stop there. Don't you dare let me go off on a tangent on the subject 'cause I'll talk off your ears."

"No problem," she said, and slipped her arm on the inside of his. _Be cool and don't freak._ "Should my ears fall off, I'll just glue them back on."

He laughed a short bark in appreciation of the joke. "You have no idea."

After a moment of soaring off into the atmosphere from Retsuko's closeness, he said, "Maybe you can come over sometime and watch a few episodes with me. I have all the seasons up to present."

"That should be our next date," she said. "We haven't had the chance to spend time alone together since last weekend."

"Yeah. Do you think Friday evening would be good?" he asked. "I got ambushed with dinner plans on Saturday."

"Oh?"

"I called my mother this morning, and she and Dad are coming up Saturday. Hiro and I are required to attend dinner with them." He grimaced and decided to forgo telling Retsuko about her near miss. "Anyway, let me know. Hiro's been hanging around more often, so I'll have to tell him to keep away."

"Friday's wide open. I'll bring dinner," she offered. "How does pizza and beer sound?"

"Sounds perfect."

"I hope you're not a picky eater," Retsuko said, off-hand. "My usual pizza has double-cheese, bacon, sausage, and pepperoni."

"None of that veggie or pineapple crap, right?"

She giggled. "Nope. Can't stand the stuff."

He glanced over at her, and her eyes were also on him, brown, shining, and attentive. The unexpectedness of her warm gaze sent a sweet thrill through his chest. _Tonight, I'm going to kiss her._ However he had to manage it, he was doing it. To hell with them taking things slow, to hell with being between date one and two, to hell with being a nervous wreck; he needed, yearned, to kiss her. Did she feel the same about him? he wondered. He thought she did. Sunday night they would have kissed had they not been interrupted. Nothing had changed since then, so why not?

They rounded a corner after another block and arrived at their destination: Tokyo Noodle Palace. Crowding inside the restaurant's front door, they shook off their umbrellas and propped them in the holder at the door. There was a rack on the wall available, so they set their gym bags in a neat row on top of it, out of the way. The place had a few patrons here and there. Warm reds and yellows and oranges greeted them, and comfortable booths squared up against rich wood tables. The hostess seated them right away, and to Haida's relief, Retsuko sat beside him in the booth.

Relief was short lived as Washimi took the seat straight across from him. _Crap. She doesn't miss a trick._ Up to this point, he'd been fine in his basic social interactions with the president's secretary. However, how'd he fair against her in casual, non-dorky conversation was to be determined. Why did he feel he stood toe-to-toe with some final-level videogame boss?

"Tell us a little more about yourself, Haida," said Washimi, as to the point as she could be with politeness. "What do you do with your free time?"

He already had his answer ready. "I dabble in various hobbies, but mostly fixing computers."

Computers, you forever will be my go-to, he thought. Computers were a much more dignified pursuit than noodling around on a guitar, reading loads of nerdy books, and playing too many videogames. Not that fixing computers was comparable to rock-climbing or something, but it at least covered up how much of a geek he was in reality.

"Why computers?"

He shrugged. "You can pretty much figure out what's wrong with one when you open it up or run a diagnostic. With computers, everything runs on a pattern, so it's like a puzzle to solve when something goes wrong."

"Haida's really good with them," Retsuko interjected. "He fixed my laptop like new when it was running slow."

"I'm passable at fixing them as a hobby," he said. "Yours wasn't a difficult problem."

"Anyone who knows anything about computers impresses me…there's so much technology out there, it's incredible!" Gori leaned forward with her enthusiasm. "How long have you been interested in computers?"

"I'd say since middle school. I took a few computer science classes in high school, thinking I'd go for that in college, but then I switched my career path."

"Why was that? It seems you're passionate about the subject," said Washimi.

Haida laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Passionate is a strong word. I'm lukewarm about fixing and designing computer systems. Besides, I found out I was much better at math anyway, so…accounting it was."

"You picked accounting because it was easier?" asked Washimi, and Haida heard the disapproval underscoring that question.

A little offended, he replied, "I didn't say easier; I said I was better at it. I worked my tail off in all those advanced and dual enrollment classes they had me taking my senior year. Sometimes I'd see those formulas when I closed my eyes. Talk about the stuff of nightmares."

Retsuko and Gori giggled at his joke; Washimi's mouth twitched in the corner. He was getting her on his side, bit by bit. Gori said, "I know what you mean. I was interested in psychology and group dynamics in high school. A lot of those textbooks read like a foreign language. Sometimes it surprises me how I ever got through those courses."

"Exactly! You weren't sure if you were even in the right course."

At that point, their food came, great steaming bowls filled with mounds of golden noodles, broth, and vegetables. Their conversation paused as they all dug in to quell their hunger pangs. Haida kept his eyes on his bowl and ate with extreme caution- -he did _not_ want to splatter broth on his shirt in front of either Washimi or Gori- -and furthermore, what would be a good conversation starter for them? Retsuko, as usual, came to his rescue.

"So any big plans for the weekend, Gori? Washimi?"

"I'm going dress shopping for an upcoming charity function," said Washimi. "The president has asked me to host it, so I have to look the part."

"Charity function?" Retsuko asked, and exchanged a look with Haida. "Not the one our marketing department is putting on?" Tsunoda had at last emailed the details to both he and Retsuko earlier today.

"Yes, actually."

Gori blushed. "I wish I could go! I hear the who's who of Tokyo trading firms attend those parties. It's a great opportunity to rub elbows with some great me-, uh, connections."

"Nevertheless, I will be responsible for keeping things running smoothly," said Washimi. "Why do you look so concerned, Retsuko?"

"Who me? Not at all," she laughed, but it was weak. "I'm just…surprised. Haida and I are attending with two other coworkers, Tsunoda and Manumaru, on a double date. Tsunoda sort of invited us to go along with them."

"Sort of invited?" asked Washimi, lifting her brow.

"It's a long story."

During the rest of this conversation, a low hum diverted Haida's attention- -his phone vibrated. Before dinner, he'd silenced it, and not wanting to seem rude, he let voicemail pick up. Yet a minute later, it hummed again. Maybe it was an emergency. Nah…more likely his mother or brother called him since they'd been in constant communication with him these last few days. Or it could be Fenneko sending another stupid joke. Then it hummed a third time in quick succession. Now he was worried.

"Ladies, please excuse me," he said. "I should check to see who's calling."

Retsuko scooted out of the booth, and as he walked to the front of the restaurant, he slid his phone out of his pocket. To his horror, he saw Central General Hospital on the screen, and the blood drained from his face because it was either his brother or Mrs. Doi and his brain went to the worst possible conclusion- -that there had been an accident and one of them was dead on a gurney covered with a white sheet.

Mouth dry, a painful seizure in his chest, he accepted the call. "Hello?"

"Am I speaking with Koyanagi Haida?" asked a friendly female voice on the other side.

"Yes."

"Mr. Koyanagi, you are listed as the emergency contact for Doi Miho. Is that correct?"

Haida leaned a shoulder in the wall to steady himself. Was he still breathing? "Yes."

"I'm sorry to inform you, but Mrs. Doi has been admitted to the Central General Hospital emergency room."

"What…happened?"

"Several witnesses have reported that she slipped and fell in front of her apartment building. She was transported via ambulance to the emergency room and is in good condition. She sustained a broken arm and a mild concussion when her head hit the pavement. We would like to keep her overnight for observation."

"But she's okay, right? She's conscious?"

"Yes," said the voice. "She's asking for you."

"I'll be right over."

"Be sure to sign in at the reception desk. Mrs. Doi may be moved to a room by the time you arrive."

"Thank you. I'll do so. Goodbye." Things were detached, at a distance. Mom was forever telling him how flighty he was in a crisis. _You have never learned to cope with stress, Haida-honey._ He watched as his finger turned off the phone, and he vaguely felt his body as it moved over to the table. Hands- -his hands? Someone else's?- -opened his billfold to fling down the approximate yen to pay for his meal. He perhaps put too much on the table, but he couldn't think about the numbers. His voice sounded far away. "I'm sorry, but I have to run. There's been an emergency."

"What's happened?" asked Retsuko, her food forgotten. He let himself fixate on her concerned eyes. "You look terrible!"

"Mrs. Doi fell. She broke her arm and hit her head. I'm heading over to the hospital now," he said. "I'm so sorry."

Retsuko had already opened her purse- -Haida noticed her karaoke microphone on top; he'd forgotten the death metal thing- -and had tossed her money down as well. "I'm coming with you. And you better not argue," she added, cutting him off. He didn't dare and couldn't anyway as his brain was already ahead of her on the street, deciding the fastest way to the hospital was by taxi.

"Gori, Washimi, it was a pleasure meeting you. I hope we can do this again sometime," he heard himself say. "Goodnight."

"Thank you. The same," said Washimi. Gori nodded her agreement. "We hope everything is all right."

Then Haida held out his hand to Retsuko, and there was no hesitation, no thinking, before she took it and off they went. At the door, they grabbed their gym bags, Haida too distracted to register what it was that Retsuko handed him. Mrs. Doi was so frail- -well, most elderly people were frail, their bones brittle, their minds wandered, they got ill so easily, oh, God, was he hysterical?- -and that kind of frailty gave credibility to his worry that something could go horribly, horribly wrong. It numbed him to think that maybe she'd take a turn for the worse and he'd get to the hospital too late and he'd have to identify her body and arrange a funeral; he was half out the door before he realized Retsuko called his name and held him back by his arm.

"Haida! Haida, your umbrella!"

"Oh." They went back inside so that Retsuko could grab it off the stand. The rain had lessened some into a disgusting drizzle, but the wet went unnoticed. He flung out his free arm, waving it at a green and orange car headed towards them. "TAXI!"

The driver pulled up to the curb, the door opening, and Haida let Retsuko in first before sliding in himself. "Central General Hospital, please." In a smooth merge, the driver entered the stream of traffic. Haida settled back in the seat and worked on regulating his air intake. Chest still felt compressed- -a tiny burrowing parasite seemed to gnaw at his heart. Calm down. _Calm down._ They were on their way. They'd get there.

"Haida, are you okay?" Retsuko asked him, her voice quiet in the hush of the backseat. She had moved their gym bags to the well at their feet.

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be fine? I'm totally and completely fine, fine, fine," he garbled. Why weren't they moving any faster? It's ridiculous to think with all the available transportation in the city, more people couldn't take the stupid train and get off the roads! Everyone _had_ to be out on a Tuesday- -

"You're not, though," she said and lifted their clasped hands to show him how he clutched her.

"Sorry." Haida tried to loosen his grip on her, but failed. He swallowed around a clot in his throat. "I can't seem to let go."

"It's okay." She stroked his forearm with her free hand, and the touch soothed him into gentling his hold on her. "Mrs. Doi will be well taken care of, and I'm right here with you all the way, okay? Things will turn out fine. You'll see."

"I'm terrified something will go wrong," he told her.

Retsuko nodded. "I understand. What else did the hospital say?"

"She was conscious and asking for me. They want to keep her overnight for observation," he added. "Do you think I should stay with her?"

"You are very sweet," she said, "but the hospital may ask you to leave when visiting hours are over. Also, you might want to see Mrs. Doi's condition for yourself before you make that kind of decision, yeah?"

"Yeah. You're right. This type of thing scares me silly."

"Oh? I hadn't noticed."

He laughed, but it was more of a small cough. "How can you make jokes at a time like this?"

"Because you're not so pale anymore," she said. Their hands remained clasped on the seat between them; her free hand continued to smooth over his forearm. "I was worried you were going to faint."

"I'm not that weak-hearted!" Embarrassed now, he gazed out of the window. His breath clouded up the window, so he rubbed it clear with his sleeve. They were ten more minutes away at this rate. He couldn't help drumming his fingers on his knee. Why couldn't they go any faster? "You know, Mrs. Doi was the first person who came to my door to welcome me into the apartment building. I didn't know anybody when I moved here. And she's a terrific baker. She's the one who taught me to make sweet buns."

"You'll have to make them for me again," Retsuko said. "Your last batch went to waste. By the way, are you answering that?"

"Hunh?"

"Your phone is vibrating again."

"Oh." He pulled out his cellphone, dreading who could be calling and for what, and saw his brother's name. "Good grief! What could he possibly want now?"

"I can deal with him," offered Retsuko. "I know it might be weird or whatever, but if you're not feeling up to it…?"

Without speaking, grateful, he handed her his phone. She accepted the call and put it to her ear; Haida turned in his seat and continued to gaze out of the window, tracking the rivulets as the rain blew across the glass. Fingers drumming on his knee, he heard Retsuko's conversation with Hiro, but wasn't listening to it.

"This is Haida's phone. Retsuko speaking." There was a short pause. "He's in the middle of something right now and can't answer. How may I help you?" Another short pause; Retsuko hm-hm'd. "I see. I'm sure that will be fine." Another pause, then, "I'll ask. Haida, Hiro wants to know if he can crash at your place tonight?"

He kept his attention on the rain. "Whatever he wants."

"He says that will be fine….I'm not sure. Late, I'd guess," she said. A much longer pause. "No, nothing like that….no, no," she said. "He'll tell you about it when he gets in." Their pauses were much shorter now. "Okay…okay. Bye!"

The soothing stroke of her hand on his arm resumed a moment later. Retsuko said, "Hiro hopes everything is all right. He said he'd called your mom today and wanted to talk about the conversation with you."

"I see."

She let him brood in silence after that, until Central General Hospital loomed white, clean, and well-lit in the glowering darkness. The taxi driver dropped them off at the visitors' entrance, Hiada handed Retsuko his wallet and told her to pay, that he'd go inside and get signed in at reception. Even though he had calmed considerably since the restaurant, his thoughts swirled in violent disarray, and he wasn't one-hundred percent present in his own body. The design of the visitor's entrance was meant to comfort and calm- -softer lighting and colors, green plants, everything labeled- - but its effect was lost on Haida.

When he came up to the counter at reception, a pretty black swan wearing a neat business outfit smiled at him. "Welcome to Central General Hospital. My name is Himari. How may I assist you today?"

"Yes. Hello. I'm here for Doi Miho? She came into the emergency room a while ago? I'm Koyanagi Haida, her emergency contact."

"Thank you. May I see a photo ID please?"

Haida reached his hand into his back pocket and found nothing but pocket lining. _Oh, no! Where was…?_ He spun around, thinking he'd dropped his wallet or left it in the taxi, but then Retsuko walked up, handing it to him. "Here."

"Thanks, Retsuko." Relieved, he slipped out his ID and gave it to the receptionist, who typed some on her computer. Meanwhile, Haida saw his and Retsuko's gym bags hanging on her narrow shoulders. His umbrella was under her arm, too. "I'm okay to carry this."

"Sure." She let him slide it off her shoulder onto his. "How're you doing?"

"You'll have to coach me into showing some composure," he told her. "I really appreciate you helping me with all this."

"Mr. Koyanagi? Mrs. Doi is in room 529 on the General Ward floor. Just follow these signs," she gestured to the wall, "and let us know if there is anything else we can do for you."

He accepted his ID from her and returned it to his wallet. "Thank you, no. This way?" He pointed, and the receptionist nodded. Haida turned to Retsuko. "If…you don't want to, you don't have to come up with me. You don't really know Mrs. Doi, so I get it if you want to go home. You've done enough."

"I'm going with you," Retsuko said, firmly, and threaded her fingers between his. "Let's go. Mrs. Doi is waiting."

There was nothing for him to do but to let her tug him towards the elevator.

* * *

 **A/N:** At this point, dear readers and lurkers, I've teased The Kiss twice. Maybe by chapter 10? or 20? I'm cruel, I know, but you love me for it. Definitely earlier than chapter 20. Gotta love that slow burn. A return to Retsuko's POV next chapter. Maybe some death metal in the bathroom for whatever reason. We'll see what Mrs. Doi has to say about Retsuko showing up with Haida. Leave me some of that sweet, sweet reviewing love.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Welcome back, dear readers and lurkers. So it's been awhile. Sorry for the year's delay in updating. I've finished one massive story in another fandom, and I have my attention turned to finishing up this novella. I'm keeping "First Date" firmly in AU territory as I will not be strictly following the events in season 2. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **~ Chapter 9 ~**

* * *

 **When they reached** the door, Retsuko let Haida knock and peek in his head. "Mrs. Doi?"

"Yes, come in."

She followed after Haida into the brightly lit hospital room. Rain pattered on the windows overlooking the gray concrete buildings across the street, the clouds bleak and dreary. The strong scent of hospital antiseptic and the white floor tile, ceilings, and walls added to the sense of desolation. Mrs. Doi was propped up in bed, her arm in a full cast snuggled against her chest with a sling, her head wrapped with gauze. She seemed washed-out and more decrepit than she should be, and Retsuko's heart rolled in her chest. _Poor, poor Mrs. Doi._

Haida had immediately gone to her side to fuss over her. "I came as soon as I could. I hope you don't mind I brought Retsuko along."

"No, no. It's lovely to see you both. I'm quite comfortable, Haida. Please have a seat." She waited, her glossy brown eyes attentive as Retsuko set aside the umbrella and her gym bag. "I didn't interrupt a date, did I? Oh, how embarrassing!"

"You didn't interrupt us! We were with some friends," said Haida, leaning forward to take Mrs. Doi's thin hand. "I'll take care of Fuiji when I get home, so don't worry about him. I can take tomorrow off work if you need me to pick you up."

"The doctor says I'm to stay another night to ensure my head injury is nothing to worry about," she said. "I don't want you missing any more work. Didn't you say you had some important accounts to handle? Yes, that's what I thought," she added when Haida said nothing, but grimaced. She sighed. "You worry about me too much. What about yourself? Tell an old lady how your weekend's been."

Haida launched into a summary of his weekend and week so far. Retsuko listened and did not add or elaborate on any points Haida mentioned not because she had nothing to say, but because she didn't want to steal the show from Haida. She could tell Mrs. Doi had something on her mind because while she had her eyes on Haida, her gaze was serious and she didn't smile the grandmotherly smile Retsuko associated with her. _It's none of my business_. Mrs. Doi encouraged Haida to talk more, but after a while, Haida glanced at the solitary clock hung on the wall and realized it was almost at the end of visiting hours.

"We should probably go and let you get your rest," he said. "Do you need anything before we head out?"

"Haida, I would like to discuss an important matter with you."

Haida's brow furrowed. "I can come back again tomorrow."

"No. Now," she said.

"I'll let you two have some privacy," Retsuko said. She assumed the subject of the conversation would be sensitive and did not want to come across as nosy or pushy. "Please excuse me. I'll be in the waiting room."

"Stay here, please," said Mrs. Doi. She reminded Retsuko of a severe school teacher, one with a neat bun and a no-nonsense tone. "I will have to rely on you to convince Haida, I think."

"What is it?" asked Haida. "Is there anything wrong?"

"Listen and don't ask questions," she said. Her warm eyes closed and then opened, slowly. "I'm an old woman. I don't have any relatives. All my dear friends are far away or dead or debilitated. It's why you're my emergency contact. I'm afraid my health isn't what it used to be. It's why I've decided," she paused and sighed, tired, "I've decided to give you power of attorney, and furthermore, you will be my inheritor."

The room fell so silent Retsuko heard a heart monitor bleeping from another room, the gush of water in a downspout, the distant conversation between nurses in the hall. Haida had frozen, tense, and he had the look of someone who'd been teleported, without prior warning, into a foreign country with no funds, no contacts, no knowledge of the language. His color had been good throughout the visitation, but it had drained and Retsuko worried he'd faint.

"Mrs. Doi…" he said. "You can't…I'm…you…"

"You've made a lonely old lady very happy. From the day you arrived in the building, you were generous and thoughtful," she continued. "I looked forward to your next visits, to your conversation, and to teaching you how to cook. Knowing you would worry about me helped make getting out of bed easier, helped me face the day-to-day challenges of being old." She squeezed on Haida's hand. He was still speechless. "I don't know of any other way to thank you, so this is how I'm going to do it."

"I don't want money from you. I just want you to live a happy life," Haida said, his voice quiet, after a long silence. Speaking seemed to be a struggle for him. "I can accept the power of attorney, but not becoming your inheritor. That's not the reason I'm friends with you!"

"Oh, I know, sweet bun, I know. You're not in the least bit selfish, so I'm being selfish for both of us. This is what I want."

"You talk as if you're already dying! You have years and years left to decide! It's too soon to think about all this."

She smiled, but it was like the smile sapped her strength. "Not as many years as you might think. You could say this fall has knocked some sense into me. So," she relaxed back, "you'll have to meet with my lawyer. There will be some paperwork and signing, but otherwise, it's all very passive. It's sorted. Now you both had better go. The nurses will be coming around to shoo out visitors."

Well, they couldn't argue with that. Retsuko's soft heart swelled when Haida pressed a gentle kiss to Mrs. Doi's forehead and helped her to snuggle under the blankets after reclining the bed a little. She followed Haida out of the hospital. He was out of it, vacant, and she hailed a taxi, thinking it would be easier than to deal with their gym bags on the crowded train. When they settled into the backseat, after giving the taxi driver Haida's address, Retsuko slipped her hand into his. He took a breath and stirred, his free hand rubbing the back of his neck. Tension had tightened along his shoulders. _Haida…you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders._

"So what now?" he asked.

"We go home. We get some sleep. You can think about everything tomorrow," she said. She studied his profile; he looked fatigued, his normally perked ears laid close against his head and flat. Would he be okay by himself? Her heart whispered to her- -stay with him, take care of him, but her mother would shake her head. _Unmarried ladies don't spend the night with unmarried men._ But she felt like she ought to. "Will you be able to manage Hiro tonight?"

Haida winced. "Yeah. I'll turn in early. He can't prod me when I'm asleep."

Retsuko didn't reply. _I'm not so sure._ Hiro was definitely the kind of person to pursue answers, but perhaps he'd have mercy on Haida and leave him alone tonight. She was relieved, though. Haida would not be by himself. As difficult as Hiro was for Haida to deal with, he was someone who could keep an eye on Haida and keep him from a downward spiral. Retsuko didn't expect Haida to do anything rash, but she still didn't think he should be alone. _Things always work out in the end._

The taxi pulled up to Haida's building. His head was turned and he didn't move. Retsuko sensed Haida's hesitance, his unwillingness to leave the taxi. "Haida," she said. "Everything will be okay. I'm a text or phone call away. And Hiro will be with you too."

"Yeah," he said. Then he shifted to face her, and those dark, intelligent eyes deep with compassion and generosity connected to her, summoned her, and she had the falling-away-from-reality she experienced on the stoop Sunday night. "You've been great. Thank you."

"What are girlfriends for?" she asked with half a smile.

The moment drew out. She wasn't sure, but she thought he was in the middle of a conflict within himself, and he hesitated again. She understood the hesitation- -the timing wasn't good with Mrs. Doi in the hospital and her decisions clanged in his ears. Did he move too fast? Should he? Could he? Retsuko loosened her grip. They had time. She would explore these feelings Haida evoked because they were so strong, radiant, and hot. He was exhausted from his experiences today, and when they kissed, she wanted his energy and focus to be on the kiss, so she withdrew, gently, kindly.

"I'll see you tomorrow at work. Don't forget your umbrella." She handed it to him. He looked dazed as he took it from her and grabbed his gym bag. As he pushed at the car door, she said, "Talk to your brother. He'll understand."

"Okay," he replied. "Good night, Retsuko."

"Good night."

The door shut. Their gaze locked and the expression on his face pummeled her heart. He didn't walk to the steps to the front doors, but he stood alone on the sidewalk as the rain dampened his fur, saturating the shoulders of his dress shirt, and if she hesitated any longer, if she didn't show patience, she wouldn't be going home. With her heartbeat in her throat, she told the driver her address, surprised when her words were articulate. The car pulled away from the curb, and Haida watched, lifting his hand in a farewell. Tears stung the backs of her eyes and to save herself, she forced her body to face forward.

 _Why is it so hard to leave him?_ The question nagged at her the entire ride to her building; she endured without the ability or brain capacity to answer. She paid the driver, unconcerned with the amount of cash she handed over, and when she clambered out of the backseat, it was as if she had cement blocks encased around her feet. Her energy faltered. _Go upstairs and go to bed._ _Go upstairs and go to bed._ Somehow she pressed the correct elevator button. Dragging herself along the terrace, her hand clenched on the railing, she found her apartment door by instinct. Her hands and fingers fumbled at the keychain. In the third attempt to slot her key into the keyhole, the door opened of its own volition.

"Retsuko-dear, what is the matter with you? You'll scratch the wood of your door if you keep doing that."

Surely she hallucinated. It took Retsuko's sluggish brain a few moments to register the older red panda in front of her. Impossible. Her mother could not be standing in the doorway with an annoyed scowl. Oh, but when Mom clasped Retsuko's arm to bring her inside, the hand was as firm and warm as Retsuko remembered. On top of everything else, Mom just had to make an appearance. _And when did she get a copy of my key?_ Retsuko groaned as Mom hustled her through the tiny kitchen to seat her at the chabudai.

"I've been trying to call you to let you know I'm in town for a few days. Your father's doing well. He's out of town on an old boys' trip through the weekend," she said. The sentences and questions drove with relentless force into Retsuko and she was powerless against the barrage. "Have you eaten? I took the liberty of cooking some rice and mackerel for you. I'd be happy to heat up some for you. Maybe with a nice egg on top? My, my, you look terrible. Were you out with that nice-looking young fellow from your Lifebook post? Did your date not go well?"

"I, uh…" _Was this really happening?_ Could it be a bad dream, something she could wake up from? No, of course not. Her mother was her reality. And as she glanced around, she thought the apartment looked different…

"You've never said a word about a boyfriend or even whether you were interested in anyone. In fact, I was worried we'd have to use the old-fashioned way. I _did_ happen to bring some portraits and profiles of eligible bachelors from our community. Perhaps it couldn't hurt to look to see how your fellow compares," Mom continued, tapping a finger on her chin. "Well, we'll see. What time do you need to be ready in the morning? I thought I'd spend a few nights. I'll make you breakfast, and I'd like to take you out to dinner tomorrow night. We could go shopping on Saturday. I didn't get the entire apartment clean, so I can occupy myself with the cleaning while you're at work. Heaven knows you let this place go."

While Mom took a short break, Retsuko worked her mouth and tongue. "You don't have to. It's been a long day today, so I'd like to go to bed. If you don't mind."

"Why not at all, dearest! I'll take the liberty of turning down your bed for you. You hadn't laundered your linens, so I changed them out for you. I'll set up a futon for myself."

"Okay…"

Desperate for escape, Retsuko locked herself in the bathroom. She took an aspirin for the sudden headache she'd gotten since stepping foot in her apartment. Even though she'd bathed after yoga, a second bath wouldn't hurt, and she milked it for all the time it could provide. The bathroom was the single space she'd get some peace and quiet, and Mom, Retsuko could tell, was on a stubborn streak. She was here to see about Haida. It explained why she showed up out of the blue- -why she brought along portraits and profiles of eligible bachelors. Ugh. Couldn't they be left alone for awhile?

 _I'll have to talk to her about my relationship._ _Giving Mom some details will get her off my back._ Maybe. Mom had the nose of a bloodhound when it came to sniffing out relationship details.

As she tugged her pajama shirt over her head, a horrifying thought occurred. _What if she wants to meet Haida?_ Don't panic. She'd warn Haida at work, so he wouldn't try to surprise her at her doorstep. When Mom left in a couple days, she and Haida could resume where they left off. Perfect. She could endure a few days of her mother's traditional philosophies.

 _Haida, are you okay?_

Mercifully, Mom let her crawl between the sheets without any further attempt at prolonged conversation. Before clicking off the lamp, she checked her phone. No messages- -except the six or seven from her mother, several of which asking where she was and what time she expected to be back home. Too late to dodge those. She wondered whether Hiro behaved himself with Haida, and if Haida would get any sleep tonight as he worried over Mrs. Doi.

By the time the alarm rang in the morning, Mom had already brewed coffee and set the chabudai with rice and a tasty rolled omelet with vegetables. The breakfast was hearty and enjoyable, much more enjoyable than dry toast thrown into her mouth at the last second.

"So, Retsuko," said her mother, seated on the other side of the chabudai. "Tell me about this fellow you're seeing."

"Well, uh, his name is Koyanagi Haida. He has a younger brother going to UTokyo. His mom and dad are retired." Retsuko fiddled with her chopsticks. How much detail would satisfy the Mom-beast? "We work together."

"Is that so? How nice. How much is his salary?"

"Mom…"

Mom affected an innocent air. "What, dear? I want you to be comfortable in your married life. Is that so wrong?"

"We're not getting married yet. We've had exactly _one_ date so far. One date is not a marriage proposal." All this nosing around her personal business annoyed her. Her heart rate ticked up a notch. "Haida and I have decided to take things slow, no pressure. Can you please drop it?"

"Well, you're not getting any younger and neither are your poor old parents. Your father and I have been wondering when we'll see grandbabies. We'd like an opportunity to spoil them before we die."

"I understand, but we have miles to go before we're there yet." Retsuko thought this would be a reasonable argument, but not for her mother.

"Retsuko, sometimes you have to be bold and decisive in life. Why, when your father and I dated, I knew the instant he visited he was the one for me. I was the one who encouraged him to court me. I was the one who encouraged him to propose. If I hadn't, who knows how long it would've taken him to figure out what he wanted. And look at as us now! We're as happy as the day is long. You should definitely tip the scales in your own favor. You're in your prime," she continued with a vigorous gesture. "You're not going to be any prettier or thinner after another five or ten years. It's now or never! Don't let indecision get in your way of a happy family and a happy life. Listen to your mother, she knows best!"

Retsuko didn't respond and instead, concentrated on the rice bowl in her hand. If she said what she thought, she'd never hear the end of it. Yes, it was true she thought marriage was an escape from the corporate prison, but she was sure she didn't want to rush into marriage because of pressure from family. And Retsuko was confident she wasn't the type to marry and then divorce the guy in five years. Caution wasn't the same as indecision, right?

A knock at the door interrupted whatever Mom was about to say. "Oh? Someone at the door? Who could it be this early?"

Retsuko had crossed the kitchen and had stepped into the entryway when the person on the other side knocked again. "Hey, Retsuko? It's Haida. You there?"

 _WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?_

Internal rage-Retsuko roared with fury, and she glanced over her shoulder to see if her mother heard Haida's call at the door. If she hadn't, Retsuko had a chance to get Haida to leave, but Mom, with a silent, swift tread, had closed the distance between them, on a beeline to the door. Before Retsuko could block her, Mom stood in the open door, greeting him with a kind smile.

"Hello, young man. I'm Retsuko's mother. Pleased to meet you."

Haida, eyes round with surprise, heckles raised around his neck, snagged Retsuko's equally horrified gaze. "Uh, nice to meet you. I didn't realize Retsuko had company."

"A mother has to keep close watch on her daughter," said Mom as she brought Haida into the apartment. Retsuko noticed the small canvas bag looped over one of his shoulders. "Do you often stop by Retsuko's before work?"

"No. I just…" He swallowed. "I wanted to thank Retsuko for helping me out yesterday, so I made her a bento box for lunch." He indicated the canvas bag.

"Do you not see her at work?"

Haida grimaced. "Well, I…I didn't want to make a big fuss in front of a bunch of people. We were warned at work not to show off our relationship."

"How thoughtful," Mom said, turning to Retsuko with a savage glint in her eyes. "Not many men have a clue about cooking, let alone putting together a nice bento box. If you ask me, he's a keeper. Now you finish getting ready for work, dearest, and I'll entertain our guest. Maybe you should use some moisturizer. Your skin looks dry and dry skin wrinkles easily."

"Mom! Don't embarrass me!" she said, bristling with the idea of her mother telling secrets to Haida.

Mom, in her usual forceful manner, had commandeered Haida into sitting at the chabudai, and somehow, at the same time, hustled Retsuko into the bathroom. Before the door closed in her face, she telegraphed a desperate, silent plea to Haida to keep his mouth shut. Then she was alone in the bathroom. Her first thought was to call Haida and tell him to make an excuse to leave, but her phone had been left by her bedside. Instead, she performed an abbreviated version of her morning beauty routine- -moisturizing as Mom had requested because she'd look for her to do so- -and stepped out of the bathroom in ten minutes.

When she did, what she first noticed was where they sat. Mom had knelt beside Haida at the table, not across from him. Then she noticed how calm and relaxed both her mother and Haida were. On the table in front of them were Haida's bento boxes. Smiling, with a happy gleam in her brown eyes, Mom poured a measure of tea into her cup and she inclined her head to Haida as he finished his narrative.

"Oh," her mother said. "Poor Mrs. Doi. I hope she heals quickly. Those types of breaks at her age can be difficult to heal properly."

"I'm ready." Retsuko was relieved Haida had occupied her mother for so long, and to be honest, was amazed he'd managed it without hitting the panic button. "Haida? You coming?"

Haida rose from the table and slipped the bento boxes into the little canvas bag. "It's been a pleasure visiting with you. We really should head to work. Have a good day, ma'am."

"Same to you, Haida." It was like she was a different person; no last minute reminders and warnings, no adjustments to Retsuko's wardrobe or make-up, no back-handed comments about personality traits. "Thank you for dropping by. Please come again."

 _She acts like we're in her house!_ Retsuko forced a smile and waved goodbye at Mom as they left the apartment. When they closed the door, she sighed and tried to roll the tension from her shoulders and back.

"I guess I owe you one," she said. "I'm sure my mom interrogated you."

"Nah. I talked more than she did. She's like my mom…a little old-fashioned," Haida said with a smile. "She had to be polite, so as I told her about Mrs. Doi, she listened. Then she couldn't ask any questions about us."

"Haida…"

"Hunh?"

"You didn't have to go through so much trouble to thank me."

"I wanted to, though," he said. "You're special to me."

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye as they stepped out of the elevator. He spoke like it was no big deal. But for him to say 'You're special to me' _was_ a big deal. No one ever said it to her. Warmth flooded through her and affectionately, she reached out her hand to twine her fingers between his as they headed toward the station. She might have been special to Resasuke, but he never once told her how he felt. Had he done so, she might have stayed with him. She thought about what Mom said last night, about being bold and decisive, and she wondered how Haida felt about marriage.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm accelerating the plot and trying to keep chapters short and sweet, kind of. There will be minor edits and adjustments as I wasn't as careful with it as I usually am. Leave some love in the comment section. Until next time!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** And we're back, dear readers and lurkers! I hope you enjoy.

* * *

 **~ Chapter 10 ~**

* * *

 **As she and Haida** stepped off the elevator on their floor, both of them paused at the same time. Along the clean, pristine hallway came a ruckus of sorts. Was it wailing? Or laughing? Panicking? The din was faint and vague, but she paused, unwilling to walk further along the hall. _It's probably something Mr. Ton's said._ Haida cocked his head, his ears twitching.

"Hunh? You hear it, Retsuko?"

She nodded. "I wonder…what's going on."

"It makes me nervous."

"Yeah," she said. "Me too."

They stood another minute before either garnered the courage to walk forward. Had…something been posted to Lifebook? She hadn't seen a new update on her newsfeed, and she hadn't gotten any texts or voicemail from Fenneko, who'd be a reliable source of information. Haida, had he gotten any tidbits, would have told her, right? Was there a department meeting? If there had been, Haida definitely would know. As they closed in on the locker rooms, the noise filtered and it was the loud talking people did which echoed down the hall. Haida hesitated with Retsuko at the Women's Changing Room. He shifted his weight and glanced at the corner separating the main office area from the hall. With everyone talking at once, it was hard to understand individual words.

"I should…leave you here." He reached into the canvas bag and pulled out her bento box. It was better to be careful. "You should hang on to this."

"Okay. See you."

She entered the changing room. Usually, when she arrived, there were four or five other women, but no one was around. They must be at their desks. She checked the time. No, she had at least fifteen minutes left before nine o'clock. How very strange. The silence unnerved her, and when the changing room door slammed open, Retsuko jolted out of her fur.

"RETSUKO!" Kabae shouted, inches from Retsuko's face. "I'm so glad you're here! Have you heard? Fenneko got a bouquet sent to her desk. Did you know she was seeing someone? I didn't think Fenneko even cared about dating, but apparently this guy is serious. Can you believe that? Is it someone from the office? Fenneko didn't say. As soon as she saw the flowers, she ran off. No one can find her!"

"I…" Retsuko had an idea of where Fenneko might be. "I should finish dressing. Thanks for telling me."

Kabae batted a few more questions her way, but Retsuko didn't answer or shook her head, unsure of the correct answers. Eventually, Kabae got the hint and left Retsuko alone to think.

Flowers? For Fenneko? At her place of work? When she rounded the corner, a big, beautiful splay of roses with carnations, daisies, and some other flowers Retsuko was unable to identify, but were nonetheless gorgeous and colorful, splashed against the monochrome décor of the office. Whoa. And she thought Haida's bento box was a romantic gesture. Although, she hadn't realized Fenneko was dating anyone. Had she missed it in a conversation? No…she'd have heard if Fenneko mentioned seeing someone. Why did she not say so? But then again, she didn't confide in Fenneko about her own love life.

Across the room, inside the circle of _ooh_ ing and murmured gossip, leaned over the bouquet, was Haida. He had elbowed the packed bodies aside to find a position at Fenneko's desk. Between his fingers was a tiny card, which he read, and when he glanced up, his features had wrinkled in thought. Then he slipped the card into his pocket and exchanged it for his phone. Retsuko had not yet entered the buzzing office. He noticed her as she hovered on the outskirts, and as he lifted his phone to his ear, he mouthed _Find Fenneko_ at her.

"Right." They had to close ranks and do damage control.

She turned on her heel to head to the stairwell. They were close to the top floor of the office building, and while Retsuko enjoyed the solitude of Archives, Fenneko liked the wide-open view of the rooftops and cityscape. Retsuko was sure she was hiding out until the last possible moment. Fenneko wasn't the sort of person who liked Grand Gestures. Cutsey-lovey stuff wasn't her thing. Whoever sent her the flowers was way, _way_ off base and if Retsuko knew Fenneko, the guy was in for a world of hurt.

Yoga had given her plenty of cardio practice, so she wasn't winded as she finished the last flight of stairs and exited the stairwell to the breezy rooftop. The rain had stopped last night, but the sky continued to be overcast. Puddles had not yet dried on the cement, and pipes and vents dripped with water. Fenneko was at the edge of the roof, leaning with her back against a dry spot on the wall. She had her phone in her hand; she stared as her thumb flicked through photos or her Lifebook newsfeed.

"Fenneko? You okay?" Retsuko asked. _Which is a stupid question. Of course she isn't okay._ "Haida and I were worried about you."

"I'm fine. I…didn't want to be center of attention."

"I understand. Haida's taking care of the bouquet," she said. "You should have set it on my desk and removed the card. We would've been happy to take the fall for you."

"To be honest, I thought about it, but you and Haida don't deserve to get into trouble. Mr. Ton specifically warned you. And Komiya…" She clicked her tongue. "So annoying. Who sends flowers to an office?"

"It's certainly a Western gesture. Maybe he didn't know."

"He knows," Fenneko asserted. "I don't understand why. Why force my hand like this? I was clear about wanting it kept private."

"What are you going to do about him?"

"I haven't decided." She sighed and slipped her phone into her pocket. "We've got two minutes to be in our seats. We'd better go."

Retsuko led Fenneko into the stairwell, back down the flights of stairs, and managed to beat Mr. Ton and Tsubone to the office. The crowd of onlookers had dispersed, thankfully, and the obnoxious bouquet was nowhere to be found. Haida was at his computer, applications and work email open on the screen, and he acted like nothing had happened.

"Good morning, Fenneko. Retsuko," he said.

"Good morning."

"Let's work hard today."

"Yes, let's."

 _Everything is normal. Nothing to see here._ Right as their butts hit their seats, Mr. Ton- -with Komiya aflutter- -and Tsubone strolled in to the office floor. Mr. Ton's laser-like eyes scanned the office; some excitement lingered in the air, but no one looked up from their stations. No one gave a hint of the bouquet. Mr. Ton took his seat, brows crunched together, arms crossed and when the second hand on the clock ticked to nine o'clock on the dot, he leafed through a ledger left on his desk by Komiya.

The workday continued on like every other prior day. Mr. Ton practiced his golf swings with Komiya. Tsubone found a bunch of mistakes in Retsuko's work. Tea for Mr. Ton. At lunch, Fenneko disappeared and Haida and Retsuko let her go. Most of their coworkers kept their gossiping to their small groups, and none of them sought further information from either Haida or Retsuko. They had signaled to the others through their actions: Haida hid the bouquet and Retsuko had gone to get Fenneko. _We're on Fenneko's side, so don't expect us to talk about her business._

"You think she'll be okay?" asked Retsuko. When she popped the lid to the bento box, she got a good look at what Haida had prepared- -onigiri with pickled plum, a soft boiled egg, salted salmon, and fresh fruit. "Wow! This looks so delicious!"

"My mom used to make the best bento boxes when we were growing up. I just copied her." Haida laughed, but her compliment had embarrassed him as he dismissed his skill and thoughtfulness. Then he sobered. "I wouldn't worry too much about Fenneko. She's the toughest one of us."

They were silent as they took their first bites of lunch.

"Where did you hide the bouquet?"

"I couldn't put it where everyone would see it, so I stuck it in Archives. It'll be fine there until we can figure out someway of transporting it out of the office."

"Maybe put it in a box? After hours would be a good idea."

"That's if Fenneko even wants it around her," said Haida. "I'm surprised she didn't dump it in the trashcan."

"Yeah…I asked her what she would do about the guy who sent it to her, and she said she didn't know yet. Which is strange," she said, now she had time to think about it, "because usually Fenneko is decisive."

Haida didn't reply, his concentration on the salted salmon. "Mrs. Doi called and left a voicemail. She asked for you to come with me again to visit her in the hospital. She said she was sorry to be an inconvenience, but she had something she wanted to ask you as soon as possible. She didn't say what it was."

The abrupt change in topic confused her. Did Haida know something he wasn't telling her? She decided to let it go. "I…I have dinner plans with my mother, but if we leave as soon as work ends, I can manage it." _It'll be cutting it close, but I can meet Mom at the restaurant._ "I won't be able to stay long."

"I think that's okay. To be honest, she probably wants you to convince me to accept her decision to name me her beneficiary. It puts you in such an awkward position," Haida continued, "since you don't know her very well, and you and I are…doing things our own way in our relationship. It shouldn't be on you to push her agenda on me." He grimaced and set aside his chopsticks. "I'm not making much sense, am I?"

No, she caught his drift. Mrs. Doi seemed to think Retsuko held some power over Haida, but as they were friends first, they were equals in the relationship. "I understand. I'll tell her it's not my place or responsibility to convince you to do anything. You'll make your own decision."

They smiled at each other. Haida said, "You're the best. Oh! Are we on for Friday? I wasn't sure since your mom was in town."

"Let's go with a tentative yes," replied Retsuko. "I may end up 'working late' Friday evening. Mom'll want to chaperone us if she knows I'm over at your place."

"Gotcha. Hiro has been told to stay away, but it doesn't mean he'll listen at all."

Retsuko took a dainty bite of the boiled egg. "Don't you worry. If he shows up, I'll give him the boar treatment."

"The Shinjuku Scream?" he said with a chuckle. "I'd pay good money to see you blast him down the hall."

"Did he leave you alone last night? After you came home from seeing Mrs. Doi?"

Haida's face went neutral. "He actually wasn't at home. He must've stayed in his dorm."

"Oh. You must've been relieved."

"Heh. Yeah."

They spoke about lighter subjects, and after they finished lunch, they bought Fenneko her favorite snack and drink. When they returned to their work stations, Fenneko was seated at her desk. She thanked them for their offerings, but did not elaborate. They left her alone. As soon as the work day was over, Retsuko joined Haida in the lobby to take a train to Central General.

Mrs. Doi looked better. Her silver fur was neat, her color was fresher, and she smiled at them as they entered and took a seat at her bedside. Haida and she asked the usual questions of each other: How was work? Did you sleep well? Do you have transportation tomorrow when you're released? Retsuko, for her part, kept herself to herself.

"By the way, my lawyer will contact you by Friday," Mrs. Doi said. "He'll set an appointment with you to come in and sign the requisite papers."

Haida sighed. "About that…please change your mind. You must have someone else you can name as your inheritor. A charity or a nonprofit company…something."

"I've told you. You're the only one. My husband and I enjoyed a rather unconventional marriage. He didn't pressure me to have children, nor did I require them. And as for a charity, it's unfortunate nowadays how you can't trust organizations to use your money wisely. I know _you,_ Haida, and I know the money would be put to good use." She reached for a large cup on a tray pulled over her lap. "Will you do me a favor? Run down to the ice machine and fill this cup, please? The water in the pitcher is too tepid for my tastes."

Haida complied with argument or comment. When the door closed behind him, Mrs. Doi shifted her wise attention on Retsuko. "I'm glad I have you alone for a moment," she said, smoothing the covers with her thin hands. "I'd like to talk to you about Haida. Will you please listen first before responding? I promise it is nothing negative."

"Uh, okay."

"I'll get right to it. It's important to cultivate a relationship based on equality and mutual trust. When my husband and I were married, he was flexible despite the views of our generation. He realized I was a different sort of woman, and he offered me great understanding and great freedom. Whatever choice I made, he supported me. _And vise versa._ " Mrs. Doi closed her eyes a moment. "Haida is a gem. He has a big heart and he'll bend over backwards to make sure you're happy and content. I'm begging you…don't use his generosity and love against him. If you're dating him with marriage in mind, ensure you are also committed to making him happy. If you're not dating him with marriage in mind, don't string him along. He is very serious about marriage."

"He…is?"

"Oh, yes. Very. We have had prior discussions on the subject. One of his life-goals has been to find the right girl and marry her. I thought I'd…give you all the information. I can't bear seeing him hurt."

As tears stung her eyes, Retsuko leaned forward. "I understand you completely. I'll do my best to treat Haida well. If I don't think things will work out, I'll end them as cleanly as possible."

"Thank you."

"All right, I'm back!" Haida announced as he stepped into the room. "The ice machine was out of order, so I had to go to a different floor."

Retsuko smiled with warm welcome as Haida resumed his seat and his conversation with Mrs. Doi. _He's serious about marriage._ Mrs. Doi's words circled her mind even as her thoughts drifted to Resasuke. Her relationship with him had come out of the blue. He'd taken care of her one time and her world had exploded into pink hearts and wedding bells. Her feelings were obvious the next day and into the following week. But with Haida…they'd gone together to Shinjuku, yoga, and the noodle place, and there had been no sparkles, rainbows, or the floating which hallmarked her time with Resasuke. Did that mean she wasn't in love with Haida? The question frightened her.

When appropriate, she excused herself and said her farewells. She had set up plans with her mother to meet at Birdie Café, so with her thoughts in a confused swirl, Retsuko left to join Mom. Mom was at a table with a pot of tea and her oversized purse on the cushion next to her. Retsuko wondered if she'd be forced to look at portraits today or if Haida had made a good enough impression she'd be off the hook.

"Hello, dear," Mom said as Retsuko took her seat. "How was your day?"

"Good. Our friend Fenneko was sent a bouquet of flowers at work."

"How romantic." Mom sighed and sipped at her teacup. "Someone must think she's special."

"It was embarrassing! You don't send flowers to someone's office. It might give the wrong idea. Haida and I had to cover for her." Mom had never worked a day in her life, so she didn't know the protocols or rules; she'd probably been bingeing on daytime soaps, where Grand Gestures were the norm. Retsuko picked up the menu and halfheartedly glanced at the food. Her doubt about her feelings stole her appetite. "Anyway, Mrs. Doi is doing well. She'll be released from the hospital tomorrow morning. Haida's pretty jazzed about it."

"He's a sweet boy. Do you have plans for another date?"

"Uh…" Retsuko wasn't sure whether to tell the truth or fib. Mom's tone seemed gentler, softer than normal and not as judgmental or pushy. She was hesitant to tell the whole truth. "We had planned to go out on Friday to dinner and a movie." _Close enough._

"Wonderful! I think you've met your match." The singsong way she said it annoyed Retsuko. "If I were you I wouldn't let him get away. I'll stay out of your hair Friday. There are some old friends I'd like to get together with who I haven't seen in ages. It'll be the perfect opportunity to meet them. Also, don't forget you and I have shopping plans on Saturday. I went through your wardrobe the other day, and some of your clothes are looking a little out of style. I was reading a young woman's magazine the other day…"

Mom carried on about Retsuko's lack of fashion sense as the waiter came for their food orders. Retsuko let her mind wander. Could she imagine a future with Haida? The answer was yes. Haida was good husband material. Any woman with a single-cell brain could see the multitude of endearing qualities he possessed. She'd be stupid to throw him back. Forget about rational choices a moment. What did her heart have to say? She remembered the near misses they had on the stoop and in the taxi cab, the heat and electricity they shared…an impending sense of urgency she'd never had with Resasuke.

"…suko!"

"Hunh?" When she snapped into reality, she instantly regretted it. Who should prance her way but freaking Tsunode! _Aw, crap._ "Tsunode…"

Tsunode bounded to the table. "What a coincidence running into you here. Tee-hee! I'm meeting Manumaru for dinner. You must be Retsuko's mother. It's so nice to meet you. You two look exactly alike," she said with the exaggerated bright cheer. She did not pause for breath. "Retsuko is such a good friend. She's always helping out at work." _Redirect her! REDIRECT HER!_ "In fact, she and Haida have come through for me for the upcoming-"

"Tsunode! That was something else at work today. The bouquet Fenneko received? I was telling my mom about it."

"Goodness, you should've seen Fenneko's reaction," Tsunode said. She latched on to the juicier bit of gossip, even though Mom knew nothing about Fenneko, and talked at length on the subject until Manumaru waved at her from the entrance of the restaurant. "Oh, there's my date. Retsuko, before I forget, could you shoot me a pic of your dress for the gala? I thought it'd be cute if we tried to coordinate. Okay, thanks! I'll see you at work tomorrow."

 _WHY DID YOU HAVE SAY SOMETHING?!_ Retsuko looked at Mom. A stone dropped in the pit of her stomach as Mom's gaze reflected deep interest. Oh, no. Since she'd been a kid, Mom was forever sticking her in 'cute' dresses, which were laden with vomit-inducing lace and bows and ribbons. And if Retsuko tried to be happy with the first dress she tried on (to end the pain), Mom tossed more and more dresses over the changing room door. Then they tromped around to a million other stores to try on dresses until the whole experience became one nightmarish blur.

"Did that young woman say you needed a dress for a gala? We can shop for one on Saturday! It'll be fun to go dress shopping like we used to," Mom said. "I remember when you were in grade school and you used to wear those adorable little pink sundresses. Those were the days. I'll look at some websites to see what kinds of formal dresses are in style, but I think something pink would look good on you."

 _I DON'T WEAR PINK ANYMORE! I'M AN ADULT GOING TO AN ADULT EVENT!_ Retsuko kept her mouth shut as her mother reminisced, longing for a private room at the karaoke bar. Life was so unfair. And worse, life was so confusing. How did she really feel about Haida?

* * *

 **A/N:** A little internal conflict there; can't live life without it. Leave some love in the comments section.


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